Part Two: Vote Today as A Free Person

Part Two: Vote Today as A Free Person

The Clock Is Ticking on Democracy’s Future

and Tomorrow May be Too Late
by Thomas Coffin

I have thought quite a bit about what is at stake since I wrote Part One. My alarm meter has reached code red based on recent developments. It has become quite obvious that one party believes in abiding by the democratic system, and many members of the other party simply do not. By refusing to commit to election results, those office seekers are following the example of ex-president Trump who planted the seeds of a violent insurrection well before the 2020 elections even happened. Months before Election Day, he stated that the only way he could lose was if there was fraud and followed that by telling the Proud Boys to stand by. In doing so, he clearly signaled that any result other than in his favor would be characterized as invalid, setting in motion a series of actions, a number of which were criminal in nature, including harassing and threatening election workers, attempting to extort officials to switch votes, filing bogus lawsuits, and even summoning an armed mob (which included his Proud Boys standing by) to violently prevent the certification of the true election results.

By parroting these pre-election tactics of Trump in advance of the 2022 mid-terms, knowing full well how they culminated in an unprecedented attack on our very seat of government and democracy (the plan called for Trump to declare martial law and remain in power), all candidates up for election who refuse to honor the election results are signaling the same rejection of our democratic system. They are simply not worthy of any office or even your consideration for office. They cannot be trusted to obey their oath of office and such is more than enough justification to disqualify them. A politician’s policies mean nothing if there is no democracy nor meaningful opportunity for the people to input and shape those policies. That frankly is the fraud, not your votes when they reserve the option to cancel.

Moving to policies beyond the existential survival of our Constitutional democracy, I wish to add the following to the list articulated in Part One and perhaps elaborate more on those issues I mentioned previously.

CLIMATE CHANGE

When scientists and those affected by climate change began to sound the alarm about the rapidly escalating threat to the environment presented by fossil fuel build up in the Earth’s atmosphere, politicians and energy corporations along with some consumers dependent on that energy source lied about its dangers, suppressed the truth, and claimed it was all a hoax. That phony dodge has been since blown to smithereens by Mother Nature. And wouldn’t you know it, as the winds blow furiously, the waters rise, glaciers melt, and the heat waves spike mortality tables, the SCOTUS conservative bloc picks this moment to gut the EPA’s ability to curb industry’s carbon emissions in deciding West Virginia v EPA, crippling the Executive branch in its efforts to wean the country from dirty energy.

That myopic ruling leaves the ball squarely in the hands of Congress. As with gun violence, thoughts and prayers won’t save lives, only meaningful action and legislation will. What Party has a plan, and what Party remains silent or in denial? The same question must be asked of candidates. Which candidates are receiving contributions from the fossil fuel corporations, and which do not accept their money?

As the reader may know, I am strongly of the opinion that a habitable environment is a basic human right. (See A Sustainable Climate is a Basic Human Right.) The Preamble to our Constitution expressly states that it is formed for all the people and their Posterity, and the rights it bestows include Life itself. Demand that all candidates pledge to do so and vote accordingly —while you still can.

THEOCRACY

NBC news recently reported on a rally in Ohio which blended political conservatism with cherished religious traditions. This movement ties “Christian nationalism” with the Republican Party and merges the two identities to proclaim that only conservative Christians count as “true Americans.” This politicization is implanted as tenets in evangelical and even Catholic Christianity, according to the report.

Simultaneously, Time Magazine cited research by Andrew Whitehead, a Professor of Sociology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, that a majority of Republicans favor declaring the United States a Christian nation. The ideology of Christian nationalism centers on and privileges the white, Christian experience, views this particular expression of Christianity as the framework of the United States, and seeks all levels of government to preserve that framework. Essentially, this Christian nationalism model translates into not a government for the people, by the people, but a government for a particular people, by a particular people—i.e., politically and religiously conservative white American Christians.

We have seen this ideology unfolding in the context of abortion, wherein Christian doctrine is incorporated into penal sanctions by the State against those who violate that doctrine. (See The Temptation of Theocracy.) As the wall that in theory separates Church from State in the anti-establishment clause of the First Amendment continues to shrink, we can expect more rights to disappear as well, such as same-sex marriage, contraceptives, interracial marriages, etc. We will also see more voting suppression tactics against those not of the “privileged” class and other forms of racism.

This merger is harming both institutions and the people themselves. Religion loses its roots when it willingly becomes an extension of a quite earthly power, especially one which embraces policies that often are contrary to religious teachings. And a political party abuses a spiritual sanctuary when it invades sacred ground for some faked semblance of divine authority. I am not alone in describing such a joining as blasphemy. No one should pay any attention to candidates peddling religious extremism as part of their agenda. In some cases, the signs may be obvious, such as at the Ohio rally where it was reported that the gathering morphed into Republican Religion and a leader equated a “wrong vote” as being unfaithful to God. In a subsequent rally in Idaho, Pastor Mark Burns proclaimed he was there to declare war on “…every demonic… Democrat that comes from the gates of Hell.” In other cases, the sign may be more subtle and discernible from pamphlets such as CatholicVote that come in the mail or are found at church (true disclosure—I am a life-long practicing Catholic who has the utmost respect for my religion and my Constitution, and my studies of both institutions leads me all the more to understand the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson’s wall separating the two in our political system.)

America is a country which was built on diversity, tolerance, and freedom of religion as well as freedom from religion. We should vote to keep it that way.

GENDER AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

I don’t know about you, but I almost fell out of my chair when I read the Dobbs opinion and especially the part where Justice Alito sarcastically claimed he had exhausted history and tradition and found no evidence—“Zero, Zilch, None”—that women had any recognizable rights in the autonomy or privacy of their bodies.

What? Really? Are you serious? You bet he is, and he is backed by his ultra conservative colleagues who not coincidentally share his religious belief system. The Dobbs decision thus opened the door wide for States to regulate the bodies of females. Offer bounties to track women to medical clinics and collect $10,000? Check. Imprison them and their medical providers? Check. Require them to give birth to a product of violent rape? Check. Require them to die if their pregnancy endangers their very lives? Check.

Now here’s my hypothetical: a child has a potentially fatal kidney disease and her father is a perfect match for a kidney transplant. May the State enact a law that empowers the State to surgically remove the father’s kidney over his objection? Why not? Oh—his right to privacy and autonomy in his body. Women? Not so fast. Nothing in misogynist history or tradition gives them any rights.

Understand, class? And, of course, gender has “zero, zilch, none” to do with it. Now class, let’s move on to gun rights…. What was the gender of “the people” constituting a well-regulated militia? Next question…. When were women allowed to vote?

Get my drift? Enough said. The voters have a lot on their plates this November. Please do your homework. Most of the political ads I am tormented with are replete with name calling and bereft of substance. Dig deeper and realize that democracy and fundamental rights are on your menu.

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Thomas Coffin was the keynote speaker at the Blackberry Pie Society’s Political Party in February, 2020.

He is a retired federal magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon and a former professor at the UO Law School.
Thomas retired in 2016 after 24 years on the bench, prior to which he had a career as a federal prosecutor spanning 21 years.

He is married with 7 children.
The Blackberry Pie Society is pleased to include a collection of his essays on our website. We will post them as they become available.

Posted 9.29.2022