The Tribune

IN THE nineteenth century poet Robert Browning wrote that “God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the world.”

I firmly believe that God is still in his heaven, but certainly today all is not right with the world.

Half listening to the international news this morning, I was shocked to hear CNN announce that the Republican Party condemns and seeks to purge members who aren’t supporters of the much disgraced former president Donald Trump.

Mr Adam Kinzinger, a six-term congressman, is apparently considered enemy no. 1 – not only by his Republican party, but by his family!

Just imagine two days after Mr Kinzinger had the courage to express his decency and high standards by condemning a man not worthy to lead the party of good old Abe Lincoln, he received a two-page letter from 11 family members accusing him of being in cahoots with “the devil’s army” for making a public break with the former president Donald Trump.

“Oh my, what a disappointment you area to us and to God!” they wrote. “You have embarrassed the Kinzinger family name!” In an interview with the press a cousin said that she wanted “Adam to be shunned.”

Shunned for what – for upholding truth, honesty and the rule of law? If this is the moral standard of Mr Kinzinger’s family, then he should keep his distance and rise to the top by being true to his high standards. Here in the Bahamas, at least, Mr Kinzinger, you are someone of whom we are proud.

Imagine there is another coward in the Republican party who is hiding behind the shield that there was no violence because there were no guns. Not only is that a lie – there were not only guns, but explosives of every description. But because he was not aware of guns being present, he did not vote to impeach.

However, a few years ago members of a US sports team was condemned because they refused to stand for their national anthem. Instead they knelt during the playing of the anthem. They were accused of showing disrespect to the US flag.

And yet on the attack on the capitol on January 6, it was this highly respected flag that was used as an instrument of destruction and injury in the attack, which spectators watched in horror satisfied that the instigator was none other than Donald Trump. And so you can be condemned in the US for disrespecting the flag by quietly kneeling instead of standing to the National anthem. Yet in the recent attack on the Capitol it was this same sacred flag that was used as an instrument of destruction against democracy!

Come on Americans, you can’t have it both ways!

And then as I listened I heard the newscaster say that a motorcade had been arranged by Trump supporters — one of whom was Fox News no less! — to escort this disgraced man from his Mar-a-Largo resort to God knows where……… I was so angry, I turned the TV off, while I fumed that this man who, in my opinion should be facing a judge and jury, was now being treated as if he were still president!

I am surprised. No I am shocked. In my humble opinion — and I am certain in the opinion of many decent citizens we are also shocked at the miscarriage of justice now being enacted in the USA.

In my opinion, Mr Trump should be standing in front of a judge and jury, not being driven in a motorcade to his new abode as if he were still president of the United States! It’s an absolute disgrace!

Anyway, Mr Kinzinger, take heart. At least here in the Bahamas there is a large group who admire you for publicly standing up for your principles. This does not say much for your 11-family members.

However, you are the one who does their name proud. Keep up the good work, remain true to your principles. At least you will be the one to go down in the history books for your decency and commitment to true democracy.

As for the 11 family members, they will have to live with their own consciences — at least one in the family had the courage to rise above the crowd and stand by his principles. We wish him good fortune.