Participate in the process

The House Select Committee’s investigation of the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol continues in its charge to determine what happened before and during the insurrection for which more than 700 have been charged, now including the recent indictment of 11 Oath Keepers for seditious conspiracy. Even Senate Minority Leader McConnell has said he is interested in learning their findings. It would be reassuring if more Republicans leaders joined the investigation.

There’s more. We now know at least five, possibly seven, states submitted forged lists of Trump “alternative” electors to the National Archives. Whether this is criminal is also under investigation; however, the emerging revelations of other inappropriate, possibly illegal, actions during the last months of the Trump administration require investigation and appropriate resolution. Opinions and beliefs are inadequate.

My point is that our democracy is fragile because we trust our leaders to function legally, ethically and morally. When they do not, albeit even a few, especially when one person holds sway over most, a course correction is required which can be administered in the long term by voters, assuming their voting rights are not infringed, but in the short term only by political leaders and others of influence.

We voters will have our say in the campaigns leading to the 2022 elections, but that may be insufficient if current leaders opt out. Stay tuned and participate in the process.

–– Gordon Hill

Maryville