Being Accused

IN HIGH SCHOOL, I supported Richard Nixon's reelection. I recovered from that mistake, reforemed myself, and by 1976 was a firmly ensconced Democrat. Ny lone personal foray into politics occurred in 1992, when I ran for city council, and lost, possibly because on my public access television talk show I praised rather than attacked my opponent. Not good campaign strategy, but a good way to look yourself in the mmirror, and like what you see. Having discovered that I didn't like political candidacy, I betook myself to participation in the Democratic party, in which capacity I remain today. I bought my way onto the Democratic National Committee; with a little loyalty and hard work thrown in for good measure: it is an honor. For this reason accusations that the election was stolen from Trump are especially irksome and insulting to me. As to how and by whom the election was stolen, none of the seventy five million Trump supporters who claim it was stolen have answers, or at least haven't shared them. Presumably, if pressed, they would implicate the Democratic party; who else has the motive, and the means, assuming that the "means" even exist, assuming that stealing an entire election is even possible for anyone, a dubious possibility at best. Even if the Chinese, the Russians, the media, or the extraterrestrials stole it, they were effectively working for or with the Democrats, to whom they gave the results, and who were the primary beneficiaries of the crime. I can assure Trump supporters that I am sufficiently well placed within the Democratic party, sufficiently "in the know", that if the party had indeed stolen the election, not only would I know about it, I would have been an accomplice. I have in effect, and in reality, been accused by seventy five million Americans, including several of my "friends", or committing a serious crime by participating in one. Frankly this accusation angers and insults me, because I have never stolen anything in my life, much less an election. For that reason, whenever I speak to one of my Trump friends, which is becoming increasingly rare, I ask: "Do you have any proof, or even evidence, that the election was stolen"? Invariably I receive in return some nonsensical answer, like: "investigations are ongoing", or, "the eivdence is there, but its still being concealed." Like I pointed out to one of my friends: investigations are intended to discover evidence, but they in and of themselves are not evidence, any more than bait in the water is dinner. After a contest, any contest, athletic or othwerise, the contestants shake hands and congratulate each other. That's basic good sportsmanship, basic human decency, honor, and integrity. That's the way I was raised, and I assume the way most people were, except, evidently, Trump supporters. But if you chose instead, after the 2020 election, to accuse your oppnonet of a crime, you must present proof, or at least strong evidence of the crime before you make the accusation. Not only is that proper jurisprudence, its common decency and honesty. Its also , evidently, beyond the moral capacity of Trump supporters.