Like Water in the Desert
Like Water in the Desert
President Biden's inspiring Jan. 6 speech gave promise that he will do everything he can to fight for democracy and the soul of the nation. Will it be enough?
President Joe Biden didn’t mention his name even once, but the target of his attack was clear. Standing in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall on the one-year anniversary of January 6, he referenced “the former president” again and again, underscoring that he is still determined to fight for “the soul of the nation”—what candidate Biden said was the reason he decided to run for president in 2020. It was a historic speech—and one that was desperately needed.
Over the course of the last year since the deadly attack, which intended to overturn the will of the voters, Biden has largely shifted his focus from that fateful day and its aftermath to pursue a positive future for the country. His bucket of priorities has been overflowing.
Among them: Execute a vaccination strategy, pass a rescue plan for Americans struggling with the pandemic, stabilize the economy and get people back to work, pursue and pass physical infrastructure legislation, confront the climate crisis, mobilize and pass investments for human infrastructure such as child care and elder care, end the failed war in Afghanistan, rebuild Western alliances and strengthen NATO, reset the terms of engagement with Russia, prove that bipartisan action is still possible.
This effort has been predicated on the optimistic belief that the demonstration of good governance—of his administration’s commitment to making life better for the large majority of Americans rather than prioritize the desires of the richest among us—would expand the public’s support. A spike in inflation, the politicized refusal of some 40 percent of Americans to get vaccinated, a 6-3 Supreme Court clearly bent on ending abortion and seemingly ready to reject federal vaccination mandates, and particularly the intransigence in a 50-50 Senate of fellow Democrats to support his domestic agenda (that is, Senators Manchin and Sinema) don’t help.
But I believe that more than any of these downward pressures, the lingering sense that the President and his Attorney General will not do everything they can to confront the hostile Republicans dead set on denying voting rights across the country, continuing to lie about an illegitimate election and an illegitimate president, continuing to incite violence among their radicalized base, lying about the truth of January 6—all this risks demoralizing the Democratic voters needed to succeed in the 2022 midterms and hold onto a majority. So would not prosecuting the plotters and inciters of the criminal insurrection, raising doubts about whether they truly believe the soul of a democratic nation depends on demonstrating that no one is above the law.
Which brings us back to this most necessary speech. Biden spoke directly about what had happened, looking back and looking forward.
“For the first time in our history,” Biden asserted forcefully, “a president had not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol. But they failed. They failed. And on this day of remembrance, we must make sure that such attack never, never happens again.”
He spoke clearly, addressing the lies of Republicans and their ringleader, and recognizing that the country could not just move on from that heinous day.
“This wasn't a group of tourists. This is an armed insurrection. They weren't looking to uphold the will of the people. They were looking to deny the will of the people. They were looking to uphold—they weren't looking to hold a free and fair election. They were looking to overturn one. They weren't looking to save the cause of America. They were looking to subvert the Constitution. This isn't about being bogged down in the past. This is about making sure the past isn't buried. That's the only way forward. That's what great nations do.”
He went on:
“My fellow Americans, in life, there's truth. And tragically, there are lies. Lies conceived and spread for profit and power. We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie. And here's the truth: the former president of the United States of America has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election. He's done so because he values power over principle. Because he sees his own interest as more important than his country's interest and America's interest. And because his bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or our constitution.”
He reminded Americans what kind of country he believes in—and the kind of country that the hostile minority is ready to let rule.
“To me, the true patriots were the more than 150 million Americans who peacefully expressed their vote at the ballot box. The election workers who protected the integrity of the vote and the heroes who defended this Capitol. You can't love your country only when you win…
“Those who stormed this Capitol, and those who instigated and incited, and those who called on them to do so, held a dagger at the throat of America, at American democracy. They didn't come here out of patriotism or principle. They came here in rage. Not in service of America but rather in service of one man.”
He noted that the American experiment was predicated on the principle that “here in America, the people would rule” and “power would be transferred peacefully,” not by “the barrel of a gun.” President Biden asked the critical question: “What kind of nation are we going to be?”
“Are we going to be a nation that accepts political violence as a norm? Are we going to be a nation where we allow partisan election officials to overturn the legally expressed will of the people? Are we going to be a nation that lives not by the light of the truth but under the shadow of lies? We cannot allow ourselves to be that kind of nation. The way forward is to recognize the truth and to live by it.”
He made it clear that he understands who was evicted on January 20, 2021. “The former president who lies about this election and the mob that attacked this Capitol could not be further away from the core American values,” he said. “They want to rule or they will ruin. Ruin…what we were fighting for: The right to vote. The right to govern ourselves. The right to determine our own destiny.”
For nearly a year, I have waited for a clear sign that this president has fully comprehended both what’s at stake and what needs to be done to confront the continuing danger in our midst. What we heard was surely setting up his effort in the coming days to push for passage of federal voting rights legislation. It surely was an inspiring call to arms for those of us witnessing the daily crisis our democracy faces—and worry that the will to respond is not there.
His closing words gave promise: “I did not seek this fight…but I will not shrink from it either. I will stand in this breach. I will defend this nation, and I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of democracy. We will make sure the will of the people is heard. That the ballot prevails, not violence. That authority of this nation will always be peacefully transferred.”
This was important. Historic. Soul stirring. Nourishing, like water after a long journey through the desert.
But what I didn’t hear was his determination to ensure that the guilty are held accountable. To not only acknowledge the danger facing American democracy, but also to make sure that the man and his accomplices who “spread a web of lies about the 2020 election” and “subvert the constitution” are criminally prosecuted.
The day before Biden’s speech, Attorney General Merrick Garland—the nation’s top law enforcement official—summarized his commitment. His words gave many people hope that the work of the Department of Justice will yield prosecutions beyond the foot soldier and ultimately demonstrate that no one is above the law: “The Justice Department remains committed to holding all January 6 perpetrators, at any level, accountable under the law whether they were present that day or were otherwise criminally responsible for the assault on our democracy. We’ll follow the facts wherever they lead.” (Emphasis added.)
Honestly, I remain skeptical that the DOJ investigation will lead to this expanded effort, at least with the urgency required. Perhaps my doubts are hardened by the failures of Robert Mueller’s report to spur charges at the highest level.
Maybe the AG is waiting for additional cover emanating from the findings of the House Select Committee on January 6. But the failure to do so not only gives a green light for the radicalized right to accelerate its push toward violent autocracy and ruin, but it will make the inspiring words of President Biden ultimately ring hollow.
As always, I remain hopeful that there will be better days ahead and our better angels will triumph.
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If the President is serious he should replace the leadership at FBI and other institutions. I'm honestly shocked it hasn't been done already
As frustrating and frightening as it is to wait and wonder how, and even if, our leaders intend to proceed with fortifying our democratic republic against fascist aggression, there are things we as individuals can do in the meantime to not inadvertently make things easier for the authoritarians among us.
First, we need to identify what it’s about and call it by name. Fascism is its name and it’s about tyranny:
FASCISM: a political philosophy that exalts nation and race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic (despotic) government headed by an oppressive or arrogantly overbearing leader who requires severe economic as well as social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition. Misogyny, (contempt for women)is also a hallmark of fascism.
In my last post I wrote about how seemingly un-related patterns of republican behavior are actually related for a specific purpose. The purpose is to introduce fascism to Americans and allow us to get comfortable with it before a full-fledged government takeover occurs. (I’m not assuming a takeover will happen, I’m pointing out that it’s part of a plan)
There are several psychological techniques used extensively by fascists according to a book called, “On Tyranny,” by Timothy Snyder. I’m sure you’ll recognize some of them:
1. “Do Not Obey In Advance.” What the author is referring to is that people often adapt to new situations instinctively. There’s a phenomenon called anticipatory obedience, where people sense what a new leader(good or bad) wants from them and they give it without being asked. For this to work as fascists intend, citizens must be cognizant of an unspoken threat for non-cooperation.
2. “Defend Institutions.” Institutions cannot defend themselves, it’s up to us to preserve them & fight for them if need be. Institutions are an important part of our heritage because they are valuable symbols that reflect Americans’ values. Fascists naturally want to destroy them. Our job is to not take them for granted.
3. “Take responsibility for the face of the world.” If you see a symbol of hate, like a swastika, remove it if you can. No one should get used to seeing them around because they embolden fascists. Individually we can make it our business to destroy symbols of hate.
4. “Be wary of paramilitaries.” We’ve got a ton of paramilitary groups across the nation. Their very existence degrades political order & stability. But eventually and as history has demonstrated, paramilitary militias influence local police and military, and that’s not a good thing. We’ve already seen more than enough demonstrations of paramilitary influence on local police.
5. “Stand Out.” As the author says, “Someone has to.” What he’s referring to is that by standing out, someone sets a better example. It’s often the people who stand out that become great leaders.
6. “Be kind to our language.” The incessant slogans that characterize authoritarian/ fascism-speak(cancel-culture, War on Christmas, woke, so much winning)are part of a campaign of psychological conditioning for large groups. Part of it is a deliberate effort to narrow vocabulary and another part is to create an automatic psychological response. Narrowing of vocabulary is an insidious psychological ploy, because if you want to describe something you must have command of the words you need to do that accurately. Some would say it’s also part of a campaign to dumb-down the population—another typical fascist manipulation. People are easier to control when they are not well read, ignorant about history and haven’t been taught critical thinking. What we must do is be mindful to not incorporate fascist phrases & slogans into our personal way of expressing ourselves.
7. “Believe in truth.” Fascists notoriously invent alternate realities to obscure truth and facts. We’ve all witnessed the hostility from fascists when we insist on truth and verifiable facts. The former president’s penchant for nicknames and repetition is another part of growing an alternate reality. By insisting on using repetitive nicknames, the person in question is reduced to a stereotype or caricature. It’s easier to say bad things about a stereotype than a real person. The author also points out that the next step in a war on truth is “an open embrace of contradiction.” He gives the example of Trump’s promises when he campaigned for president. Trump promised to cut taxes for everyone and eliminate the national debt. Anyone with the ability to reason knows those two things can’t be done at the same time, but his fans refused to concern themselves about it. The last step in this category is when people value faith over facts. When this stage happens evidence is irrelevant.
There are several more techniques used to impose fascism on a population. I’ll cover them in a subsequent post.