Why Does the United States Have Such Resiliency?

             The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday concerns the resiliency of the democratic republic of the United States of America. Domestic terrorists breached the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, and interrupted the process of counting the electoral votes. Although the physical damage seemed to be far less than usually happened in mob action, at least four people died – one being shot by Capitol police, three dying of health reasons, and possibly one Capitol police dying of injuries received in the assault.

            Kay C. James, President of The Heritage Foundation, wrote about the national resiliency in an article posted at The Daily Signal. She acknowledged the disbelief that most Americans felt as they watched the assault on the Capitol Building and shared her belief that the “band of criminals” would be identified and brought to justice. She also acknowledged the tragic consequences of the threat to “the democratic process and the peaceful transition of power, which makes American democracy the model for the world” -- four deaths, other people injured, property damage, and many unanswered questions. Then she wrote of the “durability of that American democracy.” 

There was Vice President Mike Pence, reprising his earlier role and calling to order the U.S. Senate as it considered an objection to Arizona’s electoral vote.

“To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today, you did not win. Violence never wins. Freedom wins. And this is still the people’s house,” Pence said. “As we reconvene in this chamber, the world will again witness the resilience and strength of our democracy. For even in the wake of unprecedented violence and vandalism at this Capitol, the elected representatives of the people of the United States have assembled again on the very same day to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

“So may God bless the lost, the injured, and the heroes forged on this day,” he continued. “May God bless all who serve here and those who protect this place. And may God bless the United States of America. Let’s get back to work.”

            James wrote about her high regard for Mike Pence, calling him a “man of faith, principle, and character” who “took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution” and fulfilled that oath. She stated that conservatives should never “be willing to abandon the Constitution to maintain power.” She acknowledged the pain of defeat and the need to maintain the “foundational principles” as well as protect and preserve the Constitution and the rule of law. She also mentioned the frustration felt by many Americans.

While I understand the frustration that Americans feel about the many factors that affected the election outcome – including a biased media, Big Tech censorship, and attacks on election integrity – there are appropriate ways to petition government to redress their grievances. Storming our U.S. Capitol is not one of them. Violence should not be used as a tool to bring about change, and those who stormed the Capitol on Wednesday should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

            James did not mention the many attempts made by conservatives to have their voices heard. The biased media kept telling Americans that there was no evidence, and the courts refused to hear most cases. Even the “elected representatives of the people” refused to investigate. I agree with James that violence is never acceptable, and I do not condone terrorist behavior at all. However, I do understand why conservatives were frustrated with the entire grievance procedure.

            Even though James declared that conservatives shall continue to fight “the left over the issues plaguing America” and promised to “always respect the rule of law” while they “use all the tools at [their] disposal,” I do not expect to see any justice for conservatives or Trump supporters from the Biden administration. In fact, I believe that the left has taken off their masks and exposed their willingness to destroy Donald Trump, his supporters, and the Trumpism movement as soon as possible.

            Democrats and some Republicans are calling for Vice President Pence to use Amendment 25 to remove Trump from office. When Pence said “no,” they pledged to impeach him again even though the Biden Inauguration Day is less than two weeks away. Twitter and Facebook have censored Trump and taken away his ability to speak directly to the American people.

            Many Americans – mostly Democrats but some Republicans -- are blaming Trump for the actions of the terrorists with the claim that he incited the assault. This is not true. Trump did call his supporters to Washington, D.C., to watch the congressional counting of votes. However, he did not encourage them to riot or breach the Capitol. In fact, his message was subdued as he recounted the evidence that should be investigated. When the attack happened, he tried to send messages to the people to maintain law and order, but Twitter and Facebook blocked his attempts and continue to block his accounts.

            James is correct to note the resiliency of America to overcome the attack on the Capitol. The assault was short lived with minimal property damage. Congress was right to meet as quickly as possible to complete their responsibilities and to show the world that America continues to stand strong. However, America may not be resilient enough to overcome the precursors of the event.

            America may struggle to maintain resiliency in overcoming the election fraud that caused the problem to arise. There may not have been enough election fraud to change the outcome of the election, but there was enough evidence for hundreds, possibly thousands, of people to write affidavits about what they saw. Their complaints should have been heard and investigated. The justice system let conservatives down, and the results of that failure are not yet known. There must be integrity in the election of our leaders for America to remain strong and resilient.