There are many things that makes the United States unique among countries. We are a young thing, only 243 years old, which is a toddler in comparison to most other countries. Our founding documents are even younger, only 230 years from inception, not including the Amendments. We don’t have royalty here, we don’t have a fixed class system, nor do we have military coups to change leadership—we just have elections. But one of the bedrock principles that has taken the US from infancy to the preeminent Superpower of the world is the Rule of Law. It has been universally understood that, if you can prove your innocence, or if the prosecutor cannot prove your guilt, within a reasonable doubt, you will not be imprisoned. Also, the law applies to EVERYONE here: Republican, Democrat, nonpolitical, sinner, saint, righteous, agnostic, rich, poor, businessman, employee, unemployed, even non-citizen. If you are in the US, in the legal system, the rules are intended to be universal and blind to anything but proven evidence. It’s not perfect: the news is full of folks in jail that should’ve been free, and many guilty of crimes walk because of insufficient proof. And our legal and judicial systems are intended to be apolitical. But recent developments over the last few years have shot numerous holes in these systems. Let’s dig.
Who should be prosecuted for suspected criminal activity? If you answered “Everyone with reasonable cause to suspect criminal activity!” you’d be correct, but hopelessly naïve. Note that prosecution only means an indictment or a trial—proving guilt is still required to administer any punishment. Scores of professional athletes have been caught with illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia, yet after public apologies, go free. Try that yourself—I’ll see you when you get out of jail. We just had a previously near-famous actor allegedly fake a hate crime, in order to create racial strife. As of this writing, the county prosecutor (now under investigation) declined to bring the case to trial—even as the Chicago Police Department fumed at the waste of their resources used to investigate the flimsy accusation. Numerous politicians get caught misappropriating funds, sometimes to other illicit deeds. Again, apologize, all clear. And we have a former Secretary of State that destroyed evidence, some 30,000 emails, along with Bleachbit erasing of hard drives, and smashing cell phones with hammers—all while under subpoena. Keep in mind: the emails, computers, and cell phones are the property of the Treasury department. Not only is she not charged with obvious felonies, she ran for President! We now have at least three elected officials at the Texas border, advising illegal aliens how to avoid the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). News flash: aiding and abetting crime is a crime itself. We have several cities and some States that routinely ignore Federal immigration law, setting themselves up as ‘sanctuaries’. These areas purposely refuse to work with Federal agencies to do their jobs. We have some States issuing drivers’ licenses and providing health care for those illegal immigrants, paid for with citizens’ taxes. And the list of elected officials that have provably, obviously lied to Congressional hearings is too numerous to list here. It is to the point now that famous people, of any type, are NOTEWORTHY if they face trials for alleged misdeeds!
We have seen recently several mayors and Governors ignore their lawful responsibilities, and abandon their citizens during the ‘George Floyd’ riots. Not only did they pull back their police forces and State troopers, and failed to call in the National Guard forces, they also appeared to sympathize with the rioters. Exactly what is a businessman or citizen of such an area to do when left to their own protection? As time goes on, we shall see if TV-famous rioters and statue-destroyers ever get charged with crimes. In an even more bizarre twist of law, certain citizens are being accused of the crime of defending themselves from the mob! Further, those same Governors ran roughshod over their citizens’ Constitutional rights during the COVID-19 virus response. Will any of those ‘edicts’ see the inside of a courtroom? If the current trend in some cities to disband or greatly reduce the funding of their police departments, will property taxes adjust downward (since they are no longer paying for their customary protection), or will citizens be granted more-needed self-defense measures, since police are not en vogue?
As Attorney General William Barr’s investigations dig deeper and deeper, we see more misuse of Federal law enforcement, more undermining of the 2016 incoming Presidential administration, and completely illegal activities of the DOJ and FBI.
So, I’ll return to the original premise: have we decided the Rule of Law no longer applies? Have we decided, as a people, that celebrity or political office can shield someone from prosecution? Can someone please provide me a list of laws that are now optional to adhere to—if I can skip that whole ‘taxes’ thing, it’d be cool.
