It makes little difference whether you are Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, and your political affiliation is Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, or Independent; you are an American living in a country that is defined by our freedoms. Freedoms that men and women have fought and died for.
Freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution are the foundation for making America the greatest nation in the world. Yet, Donald Trump's felony conviction in New York last week is perceived as a significant threat to the freedoms and justice we seem to be taking for granted.
Anyone celebrating Trump's conviction must look beyond the political implications and recognize the threat of this type of justice and how it undermines and perpetuates the wholesale erosion of public trust for all Americans.
Who will have confidence in the justice system's integrity, fairness, and impartiality? Without a doubt, this is going to cause further political polarization, and will only serve to deepen existing political divisions, and potentially incite more demonstrations and riots, weakening the cohesion necessary
for a stable democracy.
Trump's conviction sets a dangerous precedence for all Americans. Perception is reality, and his conviction is perceived as being politically motivated.
This is a dangerous trend that could very possibly lead to future corrupt administrations weaponizing the American justice system to target political opponents, compromising and eliminating the principles of impartial justice. If this is beginning to sound like Vladimir Putin's Russia or Xi Jinping's China, it is no coincidence. Scary.
I'm not a lawyer, but I am familiar with the rule of law. I believe that no one is above the law. However, laws that are selectively enforced or unfairly applied can only lead to the conclusion that our justice system is being weaponized as a tool for political retribution. And that, my friends, should be a critical concern of all Americans.
Even though we live in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, and Trump's conviction took place in New York City, make no mistake: it will significantly impact the global perception of American democracy and justice.
And not in a good way.
The perception will be the weakening of America's dominance and influence as a world leader and moral authority in promoting freedom, justice, democratic values, and the rule of law worldwide.
Again, regardless of your race or political affiliation, there is no joy or celebration in Trump's conviction. America is a nation of Justice and laws. Without them, we have no nation!
Thank you for reading the Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper.*
• Some things to think about:
You are reading a FREE newspaper in a FREE country.
In Russia and China, writing this editorial could be deemed treasonous, and I could be shut down, jailed, and prosecuted as an enemy of the state. (So could you for reading it!)
Beware Americans: Regarding freedom and justice, "we won't appreciate what we have until it's gone."