Opinion: People won't stand up, speak for what's right

It was very sad to watch the impeachment process and witness the fall of the American Republic as we have known it. It is also sad that people watch, comment amongst themselves, but will not stand up and speak up for what is right. And then the lamb in the bush stepped up in the person of Sen. Mitt Romney. He is the only true Republican senator who stood up for God and America's crimson tide - For God We Stand! As Mark 8:36 states, "For what shall it profit a man; if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul." (Mark 8:36, KJV)

Let's start with Supreme Chief Justice Roberts. Chief Justice Roberts made it clear in the beginning that he was not going to intervene in the process. He made a conscious decision not to do so. The impeachment rules state this as well. It was even harder to watch the expression on his face as he listened to false statement after false statement.

During the proceedings, he looked as if his stomach was in knots because this process was contrary to everything that he has said he believes as a senior Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. And for that, he was awarded the golden gavel.

Sen. Mitch McConnell should not have been sworn in, Sen. Lindsey Graham should not have been sworn in, Sen. Jim Jordan and his select Senate followers should not have been sworn in. They made it clear long before this process began that they were going to disregard every fact. The statements that could not be disregarded they made excuses for. Yet they stood in front of Chief Justice Roberts, lifted their right hand and swore to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God. Then in Sen. McConnell's closing speech, he had the audacity to say that the system is broken. Sen. McConnell, it is you and your Senate followers who are broken.

Sen. Lindsey Graham is trying to make sure that he keeps his job serving the president, although his real job is serving the people of South Carolina. Let’s look at some of the things that need attention in South Carolina. Five rural hospitals have closed; the state of South Carolina, currently, is only required to provide an adequate education; the minimum wage stays the same ($7.29); no expansion of Medicaid provided for those who do not have health insurance, and that is just to name a few. The president is bragging about how the African-American unemployment rate is lower than it has ever been. In today’s economy, those making minimum wage are forced to work two and three jobs in order to pay their bills.

So yes, I guess it is down when you have one person holding down two and three jobs yet still barely getting by. Yes, the unemployment rate is down, but don’t be fooled into thinking that it is making a better life for the working class in South Carolina on those wages. And by the way, the truth is that former President Obama paved the way for this to be a reality. But there is another lamb in the bush, a running mate who is concerned about the people in South Carolina. His name is Jaime Harrison. He is a man with a heart for all the people in South Carolina and not just for the president. He is the voice for the working people, so Sen. Graham, keep your voice so that you can keep your privilege of playing golf with the president. We have Jaime Harrison, and come November 2020, the people will use their voice by way of voting.

Sen. Jim Jordan and his senator followers are just sad. All senators know what is stated in the Constitution of the United States and what it means; otherwise, they would not be serving as senators. For them to stand with a straight face and condone what the president, vice president, chief of staff, Secretary of State, Secretary of Energy, the attorneys’ general and others unconsciously omitted is a travesty of justice. Or, should we all do as the chief of staff suggests, “Get over it.”

Now that this process has ended and the verdict of “not guilty” has unduly been granted, let us not be weary in our search for the truth. For the sake of our democracy, so shall we continue in seeking the truth, as did our forefathers. “None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.” (Isaiah 59:4, KJV) Sadly, our democracy right now is being shattered. If we lose it, we may never get it back.

I hope that if nothing else people will hold fast to the red, white and blue. Our flag, our Constitution and the things that our forefathers have died for and we must persevere. Do not be deceived by the vanity and lies of those who want nothing more than to praise themselves, turn our democracy into a nation run by a king, and finally destruction.

GEORGETTA JENKINS

Sumter