Acquitting the Guilty
There you have it! Trump was acquitted of the two serious charges that were well founded in facts:
- Abuse of power
- Obstruction of justice
The first charge related to Trump having withheld military aid worth $391 million to Ukraine , even though the sum had been approved by the US government, and then offering it conditionally to Ukraine for personal favours. The president wanted Ukraine to compromise his political opponents, the Bidens, as well as getting involved in the issue surrounding the 2016 elections in a way that would be favourable to him. The second charge related to Trump abusing his authority in order to undermine the possibility of a fair trail, by blocking the summoning of crucial witnesses. The second charge went exactly according to party lines: 47 guilty and 53 not guilty. The first was slightly different because one Republican, Mitt Romney, voted with integrity and gave a guilty verdict. Conviction would have required a two-thirds majority, so Trump was well clear of danger.
A Victory for Self-Interest
The charges, which were well supported by the evidence at hand, despite Trump's success in blocking the available witnesses, were no trifling matter. They touched on the moral fabric of US government, as well as its national security. So Trump's claim that his acquittal was a victory for the American people, beggars belief. It is a victory for corruption and dangerous self-interest. It is a deathblow to the American Constitution that finds itself powerless in the face of blatant abuse. However, even more tragic, is the example this sets for the American people and generations of Americans to come. To add insult to injury, Trump lambasted and even threatened those who voted against him. Moreover, the debacle did nothing to dent Trump's support base, not yet, at least.
Inaction is Complicity
It feels as though we are heading for a polarised world with those who care about truth, honour and justice on the one side and those who only care for themselves or are too ignorant to realise how the Trumps of this world manipulate them, on the other. Or has it always been this way? Whatever the answer is, the fact is that the planet has never been more vulnerable to the folly of mankind. It is therefore more imperative than ever that we do everything in our power to work for a safer and fairer world.
Join UN-aligned and help build a better world.
