The public response to former President Trump’s indictment recalls the tale of Chicken Little running around screaming “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” Rest assured, America. The political sky isn’t falling. That’s just reality coming in for a landing. It might be bumpy, but our nation and democracy will survive.
For the last few decades, both the Republicans and Democrats have been playing a dangerous rhetorical game. Not only have they have demonized their opponents but they’ve also — to use the latest trendy verb — “weaponized” the entire political and legal process. Many if not most Americans simply shake their heads in disbelief at the political circus on display every night on cable news programs as feckless politicians scamper across their TV screens, launching mean-spirited if not absurd attacks on political opponents.
Americans who pledge allegiance to their country and the Constitution rather than a particular person or political party often don’t know which way to turn for relief. On the political right, they see a nonstop parade of Republicans marching against alleged communists, socialists and other un-American types. They chase the President Biden’s son Hunter Biden like a pack of wild dogs or go after 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hilary Clinton with cries to “lock her up,” without the slightest regard for constitutional rights. Evidently unaware of (or not caring about) irony, House Republicans even “weaponized” a new House Committee, charged with investigating the “weaponization” of government.
All too often, the political left seems just as fervent in its quest to shape America in its own image. Anyone who disagrees with the Democrats’ party line regarding guns, abortion, face masks, student loan forgiveness or numerous other issues is viewed as an enemy and un-American. Viewers who get their news exclusively from Fox News or MSNBC have no reason to think that the “vital center” in American politics even exists anymore.
Trump’s indictment — related to alleged hush money payments to an adult film actress just before the 2016 presidential election — has pushed America to an even more dangerous level of toxic partisan politics. Responses by politicians, pundits and true believers on both sides have been predictable. Republicans have gone ballistic, accusing Democrats of using the legal system to interfere with an upcoming presidential election, as Trump has already launched his 2024 bid for the White House.
“The Democrat Party’s hatred for Donald Trump knows no bounds,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
“The ‘substance’ of this political persecution is utter garbage,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and called for the House to impeach Joe Biden “now that the gloves are off.” She added, “Enough of this witch-hunt bullshit.”
Even Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), who is anticipated to join the race for the Republican nomination, came out swinging against the indictment. He assured Republicans he would not aid Trump’s extradition to New York from his Mar-a-Lago home. “The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head,” he explained.
Equally determined, Democrats have claimed the moral high ground. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) tweeted, “Donald Trump is subject to the same laws as every American. He will be able to avail himself of the legal system and a jury, not politics, to determine his fate according to the facts and the law.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) wrote on Twitter, “The Grand Jury has acted upon the facts and the law. No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence.”
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) noted that Trump’s alleged “unlawful conduct” was unprecedented. He insisted, “A nation of laws must hold the rich and powerful accountable, even when they hold high office.”
Despite the heated rhetoric, the sad fact is for the first time in American history, a former president has been indicted on criminal charges. That is not a reason for anyone to celebrate. Nor should it be an opportunity to advance a political agenda. America is now in uncharted and potentially dangerous territory. Obviously, not everyone will agree on the rightness or wrongness of indicting Trump. One can only hope, though, that most Americans will agree that their nation’s judicial system — as imperfect as it might be — is still the best way to resolve adversarial situations in a peaceful manner.
America is experiencing an important historical moment. Hopefully, the nation can rise to the occasion. Trump’s trial has the potential to be a significant teaching moment for every American as well as hundreds of millions of people worldwide. We are about to witness the power and dignity of American democracy in action. Trump — like all defendants in criminal cases — is innocent until proven guilty. He will have every opportunity to prove his accusers wrong. And — unlike most of his fellow citizens — he is a billionaire with the resources to hire the best lawyers and finest legal minds to prepare and argue his case.
Trump and his supporters should welcome the opportunity to have their day in court, where they can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the charges against him are false. Those who support the indictment should likewise be in favor of a trial, which will put all the evidence against Trump out in the open for everyone to see and evaluate.
No doubt, partisans on both sides will continue to insist their position is the only correct one. And, if they lose, they will very likely scream and shout about the unfairness of the trial. Hopefully, though, the political posturing of sore losers will be just a sideshow. The main story will focus on the success or failure of America’s legal system.
So, take it easy, America. Take a deep breath and recognize you are living through an important historical moment. No matter what the hysterical political hacks and pundits on the right and left say, the sky is not falling. Instead, the storm clouds may finally be breaking up, allowing sunshine to light a path through our political darkness. If all goes well, America’s justice system can still be a beacon of hope not just for the United States but for the entire world.
Richard Aquila is a professor emeritus of history at Penn State University, the Behrend College and a distinguished lecturer of the Organization of American Historians. A specialist in U.S. history and former host of NPR’s Rock & Roll America, his latest book is “Rock & Roll in Kennedy’s America: A Cultural History of the Early 1960s” (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2022).