Overcome the madness
Despite clear language disqualifying individuals from elections who “have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against” the United States, the cynical smart money seems to be on the Supreme Court concocting politically motivated rationalizations to ignore the 14th Amendment’s Section 3. Historically speaking, we’ve been here before.
The Jim Crow era was born because the unambiguous language of Section 1 of the 14th Amendment — prohibiting states from “enforc(ing) any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities” of citizens — was similarly twisted for political expediency. This was legitimized by the Supreme Court’s disgraceful Plessy vs. Ferguson “separate but equal” ruling.
Letting the political passions of the day and selfish factions exploit them is an existential cowardice that inevitably deforms the very purpose of this nation. We must find a collective spine to save the American Experiment and overcome the madness that seeks to extinguish it.
Greg Brozeit, Fairlawn