6th January 2021, will be remembered by many around the world, not for the celebration of the Christian Feast of Epiphany, the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ, but for the horrific scenes that were shown live on television, of a riotous mob storming the Capitol, the house of Legislature of the United States of America. Legislators were then gathered performing a legitimate democratic procedure of confirming the results of a Presidential election.
What we saw, clearly an assault on democracy by violent mob incited and incensed by politicians to overturn the 2020 American Presidential elections was most shocking, deeply disturbing, saddening and condemnable by all people of goodwill, not least by international bodies like ours. It is heartening to note that many world and religious leaders have condemned the insurrection in no uncertain terms. We add our voices of condemnation to theirs.
This is a country where many look up to for the rule of law and democracy in governance. It is a country that has demonstrated over the years that disputes in governance are settled by mouth and not by the fist or violence and yet the world was given this rude shock of an example of insurrection aimed at overturning the results of a presidential election. Many saw it coming. Though not in direct reference to the American insurrection, Pope Francis’ words in his new book “Let us dream. The path to a better future” is oddly prophetic. On page 118 the Pope writes about how populist rhetoric at rallies can excited and harangue crowds channeling their hatred and resentments to imagined enemies, and how people can be manipulated by others who appoint themselves as the true interpreters of popular feeling”
In my recent Christmas message, I mentioned what was happening in the politics of the United States of America, describing it as a microcosm of a world which though appear to have brought humanity closer, has failed to unite its people (Fratelli Tutti 12). Today, instead of politics being a vehicle that truly serves the common good (FT 154), it has in many instances become politics of populism where leaders exploit people for their own personal advantage or to continue their grip on power (FT 159). Instead of politics putting human dignity at the center (FT168) and making room for love of others (FT 194), what we see are politics of lies, hatred, division and exclusion, no wonder democracy appears to be in turmoil everywhere. So is democracy flawed or it is political actors with wrong ambition who abuse it?
My thinking is that it is the actors and not the concept of democracy that is flawed. For how peaceful the world would be if democracy were to be practiced with love; and if politicians would ask themselves “How much love do I put into my work?” “What do I do for the progress of our people?” “What legacy do I want to leave?”, “What positive forces do I unleash?” “How much social peace did I sow?” “What good did I achieve in the position that was entrusted to me?” (FT 197).
Pope Francis reminds us that “God is universal love, and since we are part of that love and share it, we are called to universal fraternity. There are no “others,” no “them”; there is only “us.” (FT87). The conviction that all human beings are brothers and sisters forces us to see things in a new light and to develop new responses to whatever happens around us. This is the motivation for this paper. Yes, we may not all be Americans and may not even have relations living in that country but because of our shared fraternity, it is important as others have done to show concern. What happened in Washington though not the first in the world, could potentially impact negatively on the peace in other countries because of the stature of USA in world politics and economics, not forgetting the bad example to resort to violence to settle political disputes.
Let us condemn the events of 6th January, but let us also, as our Christian duty, pray for America and other nations in similar situations, seeking in this year of St Joseph, his paternal intercession for healing, peace and reconciliation wherever there is unrest.
EDWARD A PRAH
(PRESIDENT- UNUM OMNES)