We are there. The line has been crossed. It is time to choose—democracy or autocracy. There is no gray area in this decision.
I don’t know why, but I am finding it surprising there is so much soul searching for newspapers, magazines, news agencies, corporations, and elected officials. For me, it is very telling to watch headline after headline come out stating such and such are on board for impeachment, resignation, use of the 25th Amendment, or are discontinuing donations to certain politicians.
The telling part isn’t that they are making these statements, it is telling it wasn’t done immediately after stories started to flow on who actively fanned the flames of insurrection. Actually it is also telling it took these organizations and media so long to pull support. But, sadly, we all know it is almost always profits over country.
At this point I am extremely disappointed in elected leaders, business leaders, media, and influencers as a whole. There are a few outliers, but too few at the moment to be statistically significant. My disappointment is that every single one of our leaders and influencers didn’t come out loudly and publicly on Thursday calling for the resignation and censure of the lame duck.
What about their values and mission hold them back from condemning an insurrection? What about their values and mission held them back from immediately calling for the removal of the greatest threat to our democracy, our Republic?
Even now, several days after the insurrection, several days after stories came out what the rioters and insurgents were doing and shouting? Even after a law enforcement officer was murdered by these rioters, so few have come out in defense of democracy.
The saddest part is the Vice President, and Congress, as a whole—100% of members—have not come out in favor of impeachment and/or resignation. Do they not realize how close they came to being beaten, tortured, raped, and/or murdered in the public square, all live-streamed for the world to see regardless of party affiliation. Do they not realize that if they don’t impeach the lame duck and expel those in their ranks who supported the Big Lie and the insurrectionists, they are giving permission for someone else to try to take down the government, and they will most likely be better at it because of what they will have learned from this insurrection, both in how it was carried out and in how the nation hold the insurrectionists accountable, including the man holding the highest office in our land.
Do they not realize how close they came to being beaten, tortured, raped, and/or murdered in the public square, all live-streamed for the world to see regardless of party affiliation.
No company should allow calls for violence and insurrection on their platforms. No company should allow any individual or organization of any sort to be hosted within their technology. No company should advertise on radio shows, blogs, vlogs, podcasts, tv shows/stations, or other media of any individual or organization who calls for violence, insurrection, or spread lies and conspiracy theories.
If businesses, media, organizations, and elected officials do not condemn an insurrection, and do not shun people associated with the current administration, then we the people should continue to call them out, and to voice our displeasure with our dollars and use of other platforms.
And all media should follow the lead of Forbes. No person who espouses a lie, a conspiracy theory, or “alternative” facts should ever be given a voice on their platform. To do so will call into question the integrity and values of said media, just as Forbes has essentially stated, if anyone in the current administration is hired to speak on behalf of a company or organization, they will assume the company or organization is lying.
We must never forget what happened on January 6, 2021, and we must demand accountability before unity.
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 