Now, there are discussions and concerns about the possibility of another attempt to “Stop the Steal” in 2027.
Let me make something abundantly clear: I am NOT condoning another insurrection. I am NOT encouraging political violence. And I am certainly not saying that anyone should attempt to overthrow the government.
But I have a question.
If another attempt actually happens, what exactly are we supposed to think if our government, both Democrats and Republicans, once again refuses to do anything meaningful about it?
Because here’s the thing.
If the people responsible for January 6, 2021, and the efforts surrounding it aren’t meaningfully held accountable, if politicians continue protecting those responsible, and if our institutions refuse to take the necessary steps to prevent something similar from happening again, then what exactly is the point?
At some point, you have to ask yourself whether these people have effectively gotten away with it already.
And if the government protects people who attempt to undermine the democratic process, or simply refuses to hold them accountable, then the legitimacy of that government and those institutions is going to be called into question.
Because how can we claim that our democracy is being protected when the very people who threaten it face little to no meaningful accountability?
How can we tell people that nobody is above the law when it appears that certain politicians and powerful individuals can get away with things that ordinary people would never get away with?
And that’s what concerns me.
This isn’t about Democrats versus Republicans. This isn’t about which political party gets to hold power. This is about the integrity of our democratic institutions and whether the rules actually apply to everyone.
If another attempt happens and our government once again fails to hold those responsible accountable, then it’s almost as if the institutions themselves have already been overturned.
Not necessarily through the physical destruction of government buildings, but through the erosion of the principles that give those institutions their legitimacy.
And frankly, that’s a terrifying possibility.
We cannot keep treating attacks on our democratic process as just another partisan disagreement. We cannot keep making excuses depending on which political party is responsible.
There needs to be accountability. There needs to be consequences. And there needs to be a commitment to protecting the democratic process, regardless of who benefits politically.
Otherwise, what exactly are we protecting?