Keep Hope Alive

After a long shift working in the garden I took a nap. When I woke around 4 p.m., the jury in the New York trial of Donald J. Trump had returned a guilty verdict on each of the 34 charges for which he was indicted. There was no surprise here as I had been following the court action and believed the prosecution’s case was bulletproof, the defense was weak. Sentencing is set for July 11, just before the Republican National Convention. The defendant is expected to appeal.

I was not in a celebratory mood. I shaved, took a shower, and then sat down with my handheld device to check the news. Of course it was dominated by reactions to the verdict. Among the first things I saw was Governor Kim Reynolds’ statement about the verdict, which I quote in full:

America saw this trial for what it was, a sham. For years, Democrats like Alvin Bragg have been trying to put President Trump in jail with complete disregard for our democracy and the will of the American people. The only verdict that matters is the one at the ballot box in November where the American people will elect President Trump again. 

Statement by Kim Reynolds, Office of the Governor Press Release, 4:15 p.m., May 30, 2024.

Governor Reynolds appears to have forgotten the “will of the people” was that Joe Biden become president after the 2020 election. In Reynolds’ statement lies the seed for the destruction of Iowa Republicans as a dominant force in our politics. I don’t think they understand this or what they are doing. I’ve been around long enough to remember another president who was a crook.

In my autobiography, I wrote a chapter on the meaning of Richard Nixon’s resignation:

Richard Nixon announced his resignation from the presidency on Aug. 8, 1974. I had no idea who Gerald Ford was, or what kind of leader he would be. The next day he said, “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.”

I felt a strong sense of social responsibility and the moral outrage of youth in what I believed were the deception and lies of a man in whom the country had put its trust. Hearing Nixon’s address that night, in our small apartment, was catharsis. I remember this feeling as I typed here in Big Grove Township tonight. I was relieved that Nixon was leaving. More importantly, I felt that the many protests and demonstrations during the Vietnam war had finally borne fruit. Direct action to support a just cause could accomplish things, even force out a sitting president. It was a heady feeling.

Even with many experiences by the time I reached age 22, it was that moment of seeing Nixon resign on television that opened the possibilities of the world. I became aware that direct action, in concert with others I did not know, could engender change in society. I also learned that the people, places, and things we read about can be grounded in a reality that is not that distant from where we live. We are connected to each other in unlikely ways.

Unpublished autobiography by Paul Deaton

In the post Trump era, I no longer feel as optimistic about the future as my 22-year-old self did. I simply realize how much work remains to be done for justice to prevail for all Americans by ensuring Republicans continue in decline. I realize how little time is left to accomplish this. No matter how Republicans try to spin the guilty verdicts, their enabling of Trump has a down side that led us directly to this moment of hope.

If I celebrate the verdict at all, it is because the American rule of law continues to work. No person is above the law, despite ongoing attempts by conservatives to undermine it for political advantage. Trump’s guilty verdict was a victory for the rule of law and that is worth celebrating. If the rule of law does not prevail, there will be no democracy in America.

As the Reverend Jesse Jackson said, “At the end of the day, we must go forward with hope and not backward with fear and division.” He also said, “Keep hope alive.” Words to live by as Trump has his day in court.