A key word in the ensuing brief but appalling lexicon is democracide. The sound of the word says it all: “The stopping or hindering of democracy” (Wiktionary, among others). What else needs to be said to any American before every American demands the immediate end of the GOP’s brazen attempt to force autocracy on us all?
Even a few, but far too few, Republicans are getting it right, and we owe our gratitude to the likes of Sens. Mitt Romney and Ben Sasse and a paltry few others for piping up for democracy, decency and reality.
But while the GOP majority forces our wounded nation to continue writhing under the endless oppression of a brutish, bullying, megalomaniacal would-be tyrant and his blindly sycophantic purveyors of another reality, here are three other words every American who has already grown up, or would like to, should know — three words better read not from a dictionary but from the law of this land.
Copied directly from U.S. Statutes, with some key phrases italicized for emphasis:
U.S. Code, Chapter 115, § 2381: Treason
“Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.”
U.S. Code, Chapter 115, § 2383: Insurrection
“Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.”
U.S. Code, Chapter 115, § 2384: Sedition
“If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.”
Care to read on, Mr. Trump, or are you overdue to again adhere to our enemies by having another pow-wow with Putin or another chin-wag with Russian dignitaries in the oval office with only Russian media allowed? No, that was then, this is now. You’re too busy telling self-serving lies and playing golf while other Americans are too busy dying by the tens of thousands from what you had the ignorant gall to call a hoax. (Any interest yet, International Tribunal, or do a full million people have to die to get your attention?)
How about you, Mr. McConnell, or would you rather shove more unqualified lackey judges into office while your less prominent countrymen and women die during your defense of your fail-us leader to the point that you conspire to commit insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof by inciting one-party rule for this country and attempting to install by force a president the American people clearly have rejected — twice?
Or maybe you, Mr. Graham, chief colossal hypocrite in all this nation’s long history? Do you want to read on, or are you too busy throwing the most deplorable display of ethical bankruptcy at trying to overthrow a lawful, accurate election that followed every letter of the law and every procedure by the book?
Mr. Giuliani, some of us wonder whether that was really hair dye or what you’re full of leaking out at the splendid lying sweat conference you and other lower Trump extremities inflicted on an already suffering nation. Would you care to review these gems of the U.S. Code that seek to protect our democracy? No, they’d probably just annoy you and set off another streak-a-thon as black as your soul. Maybe you’d prefer to peruse the Logan Act or the New York Bar Code of Ethics.
And speaking of where all this should lead, Mr. Barr, ever notice how much of the word “disbarred” is in your name?
Words are important in any democracy, and no time more critically than when it is under attack from within. Word on, America!
Photo: Rod Lamkey/CNP /Polaris/Newscom