As Christmas Day approaches, songs regale us with promises of peace on earth and good will toward all.
But the rancor and angst newspaper articles, cable television programs, and Facebook belie the peaceful promises of the season.
House Democrats impeached President Donald Trump last week, accusing him of abusing his power by withholding military aid to Ukraine if officials there didn’t help find dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden, his prospective Democratic rival in the 2020 presidential election. They also contended he obstructed Congress during the inquiry by refusing to provide all documents requested from the executive branch and by blocking testimony from administration officials.
Then Mark Galli, editor in chief at Christianity Today, a theologically conservative magazine founded by Rev. Billy Graham in 1956, called last week for the president to be removed from office.
Friends and family members have lined up on both sides.
Some call the impeachment inquiry a witch hunt and a hoax waged by Democrats who wanted to oust Trump from office even before he was inaugurated in 2017. They describe the articles of impeachment as “trumped up” charges with no basis in fact.
Others say the case is unambiguous: facts from the inquiry show Trump abused his political power as president of the United States by attempting to force a foreign leader to dig up dirt on a political opponent in violation of the Constitution. If President Barack Obama had done the same thing, he would have been guilty too.
And then there’s the Christianity Today opinion piece describing the president as “profoundly immoral” and calling on evangelicals to quit supporting a man whose name-calling, business practices, adulterous behavior, and treatment of others reflects anything but Christian values.
Yet he’s done much for evangelical causes by nominating conservative Supreme Court justices, rolling back public funding for abortion, protecting religious liberty, and improving the economy.
Although I’ve applauded some of Trump’s actions as president, I’ve detested his behavior toward women, political opponents, and those who disagree with or question him. It’s hard to defend someone whose behavior so clearly contradicts the Great Commandments — love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.
President Bill Clinton’s immoral behavior in the White House and cover-up of his actions, including lying under oath, led to his being only the second president in the history of the United States to be impeached. He was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.
At that time, Democrats described the impeachment proceedings as baseless, a witch hunt by Republicans who wanted Clinton ousted. But after Clinton admitted having sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern, House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, a Democrat, publicly denounced the president’s behavior.
Trump has admitted no wrongdoing. Very few Republicans have criticized his actions.
President Richard Nixon misused his office for political gain and nearly faced impeachment. He resigned first. Now Trump may have done the same thing, but Republicans defend him as if he’s done nothing wrong.
Does it matter what I think? Not much. Will the impeachment affect my life? I don’t know.
But the hostility and anger reflected on both sides leaves distaste in its wake. Can people on either side agree to disagree? We’re a deeply divided nation; that’s been clear for years. But the increasing vitriolic hatred expressed by some is just plain sad.
We’re all Americans. We all want what’s best for our nation. We all want what’s best for our children and grandchildren. We all want to grasp God’s promises in Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
I’d even venture to say that we all want peace on earth and good will toward humanity.
Achieving it is another matter.
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Julie McDonald, a personal historian from Toledo, may be reached at memoirs@chaptersoflife.com.
