Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

This writer is convinced that most of us like to see the glass half full rather than half empty. When the glass is half full, there is room to add more. By contrast, when one sees the glass as half empty, there is the possibility of losing more of what is already in the glass. If one takes an honest look at what is happening in this nation and quite frankly the world, the glass is half empty. As we get ready to go through another election season, we can see the usual attacks coming from both sides of the political system, with each side telling us how bad the other party is for the nation. If there were ever any outstanding political statesmen who will stand the test of time in the history books, then the glass is half full. That’s because any kind of civility that used to exist is just about gone, hence the half full glass. We are only teaching our young generation how to disrespect one another by watching how our leaders and want-to-be leaders interact as campaigns wind down to a close, as voters start to cast early votes. Everyone wants to get the last “got you” question in to try to get voters to take an even negative impression of a candidate. To that individual, it doesn’t matter how the glass looks because it is win at all costs. But it’s not just our system of electing leaders, it is the direction in which this world/nation is heading that lets us know that things are going from bad to worse. There may be some good that is being done in this nation, but unfortunately, it is not enough. When something does happens, it rightfully gets more attention. That’s the glass being half full. But when we hear about more school shootings and school board meetings in some parts of the nation going off of the rails, the glass is half empty. We can make all of the good sounding speeches about what this nation stands for, but in all actuality, those words are like sounding brass. Some talk about disrespect for the law, when many of those who say they are for law and order, are some of the ones who shun the law. Senator Lindsey of South Carolina is a perfect example. Sen. Graham has been fighting a subpoena to appear in Georgia to answer questions about his alleged role during the legal challenges by ex-president Donald Trump over the 2020 presidential election. Graham one could say, saw the glass half full if he really believed that Donald Trump lost in a crooked election. Graham has never claimed to be a genius, but even he could see that Trump despite filing legal challenges after another, could see that conservative judges were ruling in favor of Trump, perhaps he should have told him, “Mr. president, you lost”. But Graham one might say, perhaps tried to do as a senator, tried to do Trump a favor. All that it has gotten the senator is a subpoena to answer what will be some tough questions. Graham, like Trump has filed legal challenges to the subpoena, something that we ordinary citizens not dare try. His last challenge was rejected, leaving Graham to go to his last refuge, that being the U.S. Supreme Court. As of now, he has been “saved” by Clarence Thomas( no surprise), maybe looking at the glass half full. But that points to a larger issue when it seems that the very rich/powerful who happens to criticize liberals as being elites, pull the same stunt because he is a conservative elite. Somehow they all travel in the same circles, being wealthy, knowing who’s who, especially judges but their political adversary is an elite. Oh, the hypocrisy. Graham says that he is being “forced” (his words) to testify. But we are told that when ordinary people receive a subpoena to something like jury duty, we are not being forced, but are “compelled” to appear for jury duty. Only under certain circumstances will one get out of a subpoena. None dare not show. The glass is half empty. But where was Graham’s behavior about what he allegedly did in 2020 can be questioned, as has been other operatives of Donald Trump. He claims that the Constitution gives him “sovereign immunity” because he was doing “the public’s work”. But many and perhaps those judges who ruled against Graham’s appeals felt that Trump lost and the issue has long been settled. But it also appears that those judges had a “judicial interest” in what Graham was trying to do, because we are talking about election interference. The glass if we are being honest, is half empty, as this nation once was up. But history has shown us that all nations at some point in its existence will diminish and if the glass doesn’t fill up with the words/deeds that it was supposedly founded on, it is only a matter of time before the glass is completely empty. Remember, the world is watching. So is God.