Our 18th century revolutionaries risked their lives for the promise of democracy, yet Donald Trump craves king-like immunity.
Ahead of the ruling in Trump v US, he argued: “A president has to have immunity, otherwise you just have a ceremonial president.”
A fairly good authority on natural rights, Thomas Jefferson once wrote that “our liberty depends on the freedom of the press.” According to our president-elect, however, outlets like NBC “should be investigated for ‘Country Threatening Treason’” over their objective coverage of his criminal charges.
For 250 years (despite one unfortunate exception in 1860), few Americans questioned whether there would be a peaceful transfer of power after an election. When asked whether or not he would accept the results of the 2024 race in a July interview with Fox News, Trump said, “I have to see.”
Disrespecting the Constitution. Running as a hopeful dictator. Interfering with a fair election. How could we possibly let his hyper-nationalist band of supporters corrupt our hope for the future of America when what they stand for is inherently un-American? How could we possibly let their toxic so-called patriotism make us wary to fly the flag for fear of being mistaken for one of them?
In 1852, Frederick Douglass asked America “What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?”. He answered: “…a day that reveals to him…the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. …your denunciation of tyrants…your shouts of liberty and equality…are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy.” By presenting the ideals of the Fourth of July as reserved for free Americans, Douglass actually makes a rather patriotic argument. Despite being disturbed by the continued legality of slavery, Douglass essentially professes: I find the founding principles of this country great and honorable; we must hold all American institutions to them.
Douglass also esteemed the Constitution as an anti-slavery document—even in the absence of a clause abolishing the practice. He asserted that “…the Constitution is a glorious liberty document” and challenged Americans by imploring, “Read its preamble, consider its purposes. Is slavery among them?”. In fact, slavery is not among the purposes of the preamble; instead, one finds a more perfect Union, Justice, the Blessings of Liberty. By believing in these principles, Douglass retained hope for their widespread application. By acclaiming the foundations of American institutions, Douglass found himself able to hope for the nation which allowed him to be born enslaved.
What did Nov. 5 reveal to us? A failed nation? That would be tough to accept. Instead of debilitating cynicism, maybe we ought to take after Douglass. For by believing in our founding principles (the rule of law, free speech, the stuff MAGA would prefer to lose), we open ourselves to the knowledge that our nation has not failed.
The protesters who marched from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 seemingly had every justification to lose their patriotism after being met with violence for exercising their civil rights, but they kept marching. “What could be more American than what happened in [Selma]?,” posed President Obama on the 50th anniversary of the march. “What greater form of patriotism is there than the belief that America is not yet finished, that we are strong enough to be self-critical…and decide that it is in our power to remake this nation to more closely align with our highest ideals?” One may be tempted to see protest as the consequence of a failed republic; Selma reminds us that criticism enhances our democracy, propels our more perfect Union. Selma reminds us that America may deny us our liberty and neglect its ideals. Selma reminds us that this neglect and denial is not the complete failure of a nation—so long as we keep marching, keep holding out hope. Through marching we remember that we have the capacity to lead change in this nation by the people, freeing us from the misguided notion that an unwelcome government means the end of that nation.
Despite spending a tedious campaign cycle vigorously cautioning that Trump is antithetical to democracy, liberty, and the general welfare, liberals now hesitate to “defend” America. The good patrons of MSNBC may find themselves asking, “is it politically correct to proudly hope for our often unjust nation?” Feeling shame in one’s Americanness is less challenging than claiming it with pride. But if our president-elect is the antithesis to American ideals, isn’t patriotism exactly what we need?
If Frederick Douglass and John Lewis could hope in an unjust nation, we must be able to do the same.
We’re lucky; we’re not at Gettysburg or Selma yet. Hope still isn’t easy from where we are, but hope we must. Believe in our nation’s capacity to change we must. Criticize we must.
In time, Nov. 5 won’t feel like a failure but merely a misstep in the history of a foundationally strong nation.
Canada’s rather cold this time of year, anyway.
Works cited: Douglass, Frederick. “What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?”. Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society, 5 Jul. 1852, Corinthian Hall, Rochester, NY. Speech; McGraw, Meredith. Trump on his high court hearing: ‘A president has to have immunity’. Politico, 25 Apr. 2024. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024; Niedzwiadek, Nick. The 9 most notable comments Trump has made about accepting the election results. Politico, 24 Sep. 2020. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024; Obama, Barack. “Remarks on the 50th Anniversary of the Selma Marches.” 7 Mar. 2015, Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma, AL. Speech; Penniman, Nick H. Liberal Patriotism Is About More Than Flag-Waving. The New Republic, 4 Jul. 2024. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024; Trump, Donald J [@realDonaldTrump]. “They are almost all dishonest and corrupt, but Comcast, with its one-side and vicious coverage….” Truth Social, 24 Sep. 2023; Quotations on the Partisan and Free Press. Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Editor’s note: This is a monthly column written by a student at Patrick Henry High School. This column is written by Emma Clifford.
Top photo credit: Pixabay.com
