When the country changes presidential administrations, you can usually count on hearing political pundits wax poetic about the peaceful transition of power in the world’s greatest democracy.
Not this time. Even before any ballots were cast, President Donald Trump refused to say that he would commit to a peaceful transition if he lost. Trump did lose and spent more than two months fomenting hysteria by feeding his diehard supporters lies about how the election had been stolen from him. Despite having zero evidence of voter fraud and suffering a string of losses in court, Trump kept up the drumbeat, culminating in a horrific Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol by a mob he’d whipped into a frenzy.
As a result, today’s inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will take place under heavy military and police presence. It’s unfortunate that Washington, D.C., had to become an armed camp on this day, but it was crucial to protect the nation’s new leaders. It’s also unfortunate that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage our country, requiring a more subdued celebration that doesn’t allow for large crowds of Biden’s supporters.
The good news is, we’re likely to see positive change right away. Biden may get rid of Trump’s noxious Muslim Ban as early as today. Biden’s policies on reproductive freedom and LGBTQ rights will be a vast improvement. He’ll take leadership of the coronavirus pandemic and institute policies that protect our rights, including religious freedom, while implementing commonsense steps promoted by medical experts to keep everyone as healthy as possible. He supports public education. He actually seems to care about people other than himself.
And most refreshingly, Biden will restore decency, decorum and professionalism to the White House. When hate-filled neo-Nazis march in our streets, you can bet Biden won’t claim that they are “good people.” When conspiracy theorists spew their nonsense, Biden will pay them no mind. When Christian nationalists demand repression, Biden will turn them aside.
Won’t it be nice to wake up in the morning no longer worrying about what embarrassing things the president tweeted overnight? Won’t it be great to watch a White House press conference and not cringe? Won’t it be wonderful to go about your daily business secure in the knowledge that the government is back in the hands of grown-ups?
But that’s not all. Remember, Americans United has prepared an Agenda to Restore & Protect Religious Freedom. We hope the Biden administration will embrace it.
There is much work to be done to fix the damage of the past four years. Americans United is plunging in, eager and happy to work in the light of a new day that looks so much brighter than even last week. Come along; there’s always room for you.
