By Thomas L. Knapp COMMENTARY
According to a report issued by Special Counsel Robert K. Hur on February 8, his investigation found “evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen.”
While the report also mentions “innocent explanations for the documents that we cannot refute,” the argument against charging and prosecuting him largely comes down to an expectation that “Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” whom those jurors would doubt capable of “a mental state of willfulness.”
If the report accurately characterizes the interview, Biden’s memory is … fuzzy … on topics such as when he served as vice president and when his son died. As further evidence of Biden’s mental deficiencies, the report notes that the documents in question
were found “in a badly damaged box in the garage, near a collapsed dog crate, a dog bed, a Zappos box, an empty bucket, a broken lamp wrapped with duct tape, potting soil, and synthetic firewood.”
If Biden can’t remember basic facts or even be trusted to not throw important documents on the “donate to Goodwill” pile in his garage, is he competent to remain, let alone be reelected as, president?
As a matter of even-handedness, let me acknowledge that Donald Trump, likely Republican presidential nominee, also possesses, so far as I can tell, the mental acuity of a turnip. But he’s not president again, at least yet, so we can kick that can down the road a bit.
And as a cautionary note, let me acknowledge that there’s no visible metric on which current vice-president Kamala Harris seems likely to do a better job than the admittedly terrible job Biden — or whoever’s using Biden as a compliant meat puppet — is doing.
BUT!
“Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either
of humanity as well as committing to uphold the ideals of their fraternity or sorority for life. Why anyone would see that as being somehow in conflict with Christian values is utterly baffling to me.
I am in no way opposed to an individual deciding to renounce their affiliation to a BGLO because of their personal beliefs, any more than I would take issue with someone choosing to no longer eat shellfish, wear wool, or straighten their hair. However, when I hear a person denouncing BGLOs in general, insinuating that they are somehow “demonic,” and inciting all other members to follow their personal example, that causes me pause. Even if you experience what you believe to be a revelation that must guide your own choices, how can you then deem that to be the truth, rather than your truth?
One person’s shortcomings in life, or the way an individual lives in a particular state of sin doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone. Rather than rail against BGLOs, I wish more believers would be concerned about the ungodly alliances or oaths some of us make to certain churches, other organizations, and leaders who really do act or live in a perpetual reprobate state. In contrast, I would ask that we all extend a measure of grace to any group or institution – including Black BGLOs – whose members are exhorted to spend a lifetime making a positive impact on their communities and exemplifying the kindness Jesus teaches us.
In the case of both my fraternities, I can unequivocally and wholeheartedly serve Jesus as Lord, while fulfilling our collective purposes and aims in the certain knowledge that Jesus gets the glory out of my being a member. Why? Because when I’m present with my brothers, the Holy Spirit is there abiding in me. I can, likewise, say that in every formal fraternity setting, overt reverence is always paid to what I believe. In fact, I often either attend or serve as the celebrant for the weekly online services that are currently held by one of Kappa’s alumni chapters.
Therefore, I am not tethered by being a fraternity brother – far from it. Nothing about my membership of these illustrious organizations restricts me in my faith. I’m entirely free in Him who set me free.
Keith Magee is a theologian, political adviser and social justice scholar.
the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.”
That’s the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution, and it’s clearly applicable here.
While sending Joe Biden to the elder care facility he so obviously and desperately requires the services of might not improve government policy, it would at least provide more transparency as to who’s actually in charge, and allow the Democratic Party to consider more capable (if not morally superior) candidates for its 2024 presidential nomination.
Thomas L. Knapp is director of the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism (thegarrisoncenter.org). He lives and works in north central Florida.