Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right ... and other lessons from childhood

I watched the impeachment hearings last week. I even had to listen to Sirius XM on the last day because I was on the road to Boerne, Texas, for a show. At one point, I was just moving along in cruise control mode on barely wet roads when all of a sudden, I lost control of my truck and trailer: The truck hydroplaned on the wet pavement and fish-tailed with my trailer. It is only by God's grace that I regained control.

While the moment scared the you-know-what out of me, I still felt annoyed that my listening was interrupted. As soon as I could, I drove to a stopping point to check everything out in the trailer. All was well, but still ... I missed valuable testimony! (But I caught up with it later.)

The fact is that I should have been paying attention while driving with my trailer in that weather, but I was enthralled with Fiona Hill's testimony. Wow! That brave woman is my hero!

Since the hearings, my thoughts have percolated to the point I finally had to write. Today, I submitted my letter to Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz. While I believe my efforts have most likely been a futile attempt at change, I did it anyway.  And, obviously, I wrote this letter with the assumption that President Trump will be impeached.

So, I am sharing my letter, and I challenge anyone else who feels strongly about this most important event in our country to do the same.

(I realize fully that Facebook friends who oppose my views are likely to "unfriend" me; so be it.)

*****

Nov. 29, 2019

Dear Sens. Cornyn and Cruz: 

Like many other Americans, I am deeply concerned with what is happening to our country. I am reaching out and hoping beyond hope that you will hear me out and truly listen to what I am saying. 

I think first you need to know a little about who I am for perspective, though.  I am a 51-year-old white female who was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas. I am a married empty nester. I’ve worked since I was 15 years old, and I grew up in a family of farmers and teachers that always voted Republican. I tended to follow that ideology until about 20 years ago, but I’ve never voted a straight Democratic ticket.  I grew up as a middle class American, and now, my husband and I are neither wealthy nor poor, but we work hard. 

I’m telling you these things because I believe I represent most Americans who are neither far left nor far right. The problem is, however, that the loud “squeaky wheel” fanatics garner the most attention, and fanatics do not listen to other fanatics. We’re living in a most important time in history in which the squeaky wheel is squawking loudly in a frightening circle of senselessness. 

I watched the impeachment hearings (and listened while I drove eight hours on the last day) with great interest.  I’ve heard many people say the hearings were just a waste of time and tax-payers’ money, but I completely disagree. I have to wonder whether those saying that even watched the hearings. I learned things about the way our country operates in foreign affairs, as well as was reminded why America is important to countries such as the embattled Ukraine. I felt a measure of pride as I watched and learned, because in the middle of my own feelings of helplessness regarding President Trump’s behavior, I saw that other courageous Americans who are (were) in a position to make a true difference had spoken out about problems with Trump’s behavior and that maybe something would finally be done. Most important, I learned why the specific problem in Ukraine was so important, and that is Russia. 

Growing up, I was taught communism and Russia were to be feared, and I believe most Americans my age and older grew up knowing this. What has happened? Have we become complacent about Russia? Are we going to sit by and let Russian President Vladimir Putin continue to meddle in our business and weaken our country from within by dividing us? From my vantage point, he’s doing a frighteningly good job. 

Why (and how) are those who are opposed to Trump’s impeachment ignoring the testimonies of non-partisan Americans whose life’s work is foreign policy in Ukraine?  How can anyone ignore former NSC staffer Fiona Hill? Her impressive testimony was of only rock-solid intelligence and facts. She clearly tied the timeline of events together, which strengthened the testimonies of those before her. She boldly stated Ukraine’s importance to the United States and the dangers if Russia were to regain control of Ukraine. We cannot afford to ignore that, so why would we? Even more compelling about Fiona Hill is that she is an immigrant. She came here from England and became an American citizen because she believes in our great country and all it has to offer. 

And what about the passion, dedication and sacrifice of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, another American immigrant? I was touched by his testimony, his service to the United States and his willingness to stand up for this country he and his family chose. I’ve wondered whether those of us born here have become complacent, and I felt ashamed. We all should be fighting hard for this country and its commitment to world peace.  We should all be committed to doing the right thing, period.

Two issues could not be more evident to me at this point. 

One: Donald Trump should never have been elected president in the first place, and I believe most people understand that. I sincerely thought it was a joke when he first announced he would be running. First, where is his experience outside of the business world? Second, he is well-known as a dishonest, mean-spirited, selfish, misogynistic and narcissistic man, among other things. I will even go a step further and place him within the 4 percent of the population that is sociopathic. He is a man without conscience and will do anything to anyone and any country, including his own, that he believes will benefit him. 

Sadly, my own party contributed partly to the problem by giving the country Hillary Clinton as the democratic presidential candidate. While Clinton would have been an excellent and outstanding leader, in my opinion, years of Republican efforts to destroy her credibility did just that, and the Democrats should have understood this!  By the time Clinton could run, she had become someone who was either loved or hated, and that was too risky for a viable presidential candidate.  I have heard so many people say they didn’t really want to vote for Trump, but they saw Clinton as a worse choice. 

Both parties created this presidential fiasco named Donald Trump.  

Nothing can be done about this issue now, except that maybe we can all learn from it and do better next time.

Two:  We surely all learned as children that two wrongs don’t make a right. Nothing has changed, but the Republican and Democratic leaders of this country continue to up the ante with every counter act of, “They did it! We can, too!”

The latest and most obvious example of this is the TRUTH that Trump attempted to use a foreign leader to interfere in the 2020 U.S. elections.  But what do the Republicans do? They have tried to muddy the waters (i.e., deflect public attention from this truth) by raising debunked conspiracy theories and past perceived wrongs to somehow minimize the president’s clearly criminal behavior. 

Both parties have engaged in bad behavior since this country’s beginning. When we’re lucky, it gets addressed and handled; however, most often, as I stated earlier, someone ups the ante, and behavior gets worse; this is exactly where we are today.

I never could have imagined someone so dishonest, hateful, criminal — so sociopathic — could be elected as our president! And even worse, I could never have imagined that our system of checks and balances would allow him to behave so embarrassingly juvenile and horrifyingly corrupt. Instead, his behavior is being accepted as “the new normal” because people are afraid to stand up to him. Now that several respectable people have, stop being afraid! It’s time to listen and take care of the problem.

Several questions arise by your unwillingness to address Trump’s corruption:

1.     Are Republicans afraid Vice President Pence can’t step forward and do the job of the president, if even for only a little while? (That’s pretty ridiculous.)

2.     Are they afraid another Republican will never be elected if Trump gets ousted? That’s ridiculous, too.

3.     Are too many Republican leaders caught up in Trump’s dealings and are afraid for their own positions and reputations? (If that is the case, then get over it and do like the rest of us have to do: Take responsibility for your sins and mistakes, no matter the cost. You’ll survive and be better for it.) 

4.     Most likely: Are Republicans afraid to admit they’re wrong and lose power? If that is the case, then GET OVER IT! Now you can do what’s right and address it. If you don’t, this turmoil we are in and this division we’re experiencing only continues. BUT EVEN WORSE: Russian influence and power wins. We cannot afford this.

Donald Trump horrifies and disgusts me — I see with my own eyes and hear with my own ears. His alliance with Putin frightens me. Why doesn’t it you?

It’s past time for someone to step up and do the right thing, and the ball is now in your court, Republicans. I am begging you to do it. Convince your Republican peers to do the same, and let this country begin to heal.