Trump Should be Convicted by the Senate
February 1, 2021
The attack on the capitol on Jan. 6 this 2021 has stunned our nation and left our citizenry shocked by former president Donald Trump’s response to violence against his own legislature in correspondence with the 2020 Presidential Election. His actions have led the House to impeach him for a second time for “inciting insurrection” (New York Times), but the decision is still left to be made as to whether or not the Senate should indict him on these charges. Republican party leaders claim it would be a threat to the unity our nation desperately needs, however, the same individuals would be calling for the heads of riot leaders had the events on Jan. 6 happened in any other nation. Trump is directly responsible for the attacks against the Capitol, and despite his no longer being president, should face the repercussions for such.
One of the most prominent arguments against convicting Trump is the fact that he is no longer president, so “what’s the point?” But, Trump’s convictions remain effective regardless of his current state of employment, and he could potentially lose privileges allotted to him as a former US President. Specifically, he could lose access to security, classified intelligence, annual pensions, and perhaps most importantly — the ability to pursue a second term. This doesn’t remove him from American media, or erase the disruption he has caused within our political system, but it does hinder him from seeking another four years of invoking political division and frustration. His involvement as Commander-in-Chief would be halted, and we would never again fall victim to his incompetence in American politics.
Furthermore, by indicting Trump, we set a precedent for the behavior of our leaders and what we deem to be acceptable. America should never again tolerate the blatant racism, sexism, homophobia, and general ineptitude for his role that Trump displayed in the past four years; never again should we watch our president refuse to condemn white supremacy on national television or directly incite violence against his colleagues. By indicting Trump, we are able to find closure, move forward, and promise that we will not permit further division and bigotry within the walls of the White House.
Thus, Trump’s conviction is fundamental to our progress as a nation towards a more ethical future. It allows us to condemn injustice and pronounce ourselves as a country that believes that our leaders are not exempt from legal justice and are susceptible to facing the repercussions of their actions just as general citizens are.
