Dear Editor:
We are witnesses to history. We have the privilege of being a witness to history watching the impeachment proceedings. We can draw our own conclusions with respect to whether President Trump should be impeached. But the more important outcome of these proceedings is what we learn.
Watching the professionals who set and implement our foreign policy discuss their role in the performance of their duty gives us insight, beyond sound bites, into our country’s place in the world. There is no doubt that these men and women are dedicated to doing their best for us all. They live and work in a very complex world just as we do. Learning from them is our first amendment right. For one of the few times in history the testimony of these individuals gave us real time insight into the struggles facing Ukraine and our part in their defense. We are invited to imagine the impact of having Russia take land the size of Texas from Ukraine, with armed force, in a war that continues today. Who among us had that perspective? What would our reaction be if Mexico annexed Texas?
We also learn about our allies and their support of our international policy and why it matters. We become acutely aware that we are not on this earth alone. Our relationships with our allies matter. What we do matters in terms of how our system of government, our democracy, is a model for others. We are drawn to the conclusion that we must live, by example, to a higher standard because the reality of digging in the dirt is not what we aspire to and not what we challenge others to gain as well. We can not live lies because that is creating a world for selfish purpose. The harm in selfishness is the disadvantage that falls on everyone else. One wins and everyone else loses. Our democracy matters because the more we are effective in demonstrating the true meaning of democracy the more we will have others stand with us. That is the privilege and the challenge of leadership.
Who among us is not disgusted by partisanship? Yet there is great value in being exposed to differences. We do not have to have resolution of differences to gain value. First, stark differences lay out pros and cons. This gives us the opportunity to evaluate the evidence as it unfolds. This also, is a benefit of our first amendment rights. One principle of human behavior is that we tend to look for evidence that supports our established beliefs. But, at the same time, exposure to alternate points of view makes us think. One of the thoughts that I have had watching the hearings is that I am proud of my country. Regardless of how divisive we sound; we have a process that gets the differences out on the table. As a country we debate the pros and cons. We can also create a mental spread sheet of each argument and determine if an argument is countered by an opposing view. Many arguments are won when there is no opposing view or when the opposing view is not connected. For example, name calling is not a defense.
Another of the lessons of the impeachment proceedings are the insights we gain into what really matters. As a direct result of the partisan wrangling, we are confronted with an interesting choice. It is not whether President Trump should be convicted. It is, strangely, what we really believe. Do we support a man or is it our principles of democracy that matter most? Time after time witnesses point out how things are designed to work under our constitution and how those principles have been subverted. The counter argument seems to be that the office of president is free to perform without limits like involving foreign governments in our election processes. It comes down to who should decide our elections? U.S. citizens or foreign governments? If you are a true patriot do you vote for the future of democracy or for loyalty to the man?
J.B. Sullivan
Meeker
