Listening to now-President Joe Biden’s Inauguration speech, I’m reminded, as I was when I first wrote about his candidacy, that he had run for the Presidency, twice, long ago. One run I don’t recall, but the other ended in ignominy, when it was discovered that he, purposefully or not, had cribbed part of a speech that he gave from someone else.
But he survived, keeping his seat as Senator from Delaware.
Since then, he’s made mistakes, apologized, and sought to do better. Then he served eight years as Vice President. Finally, he’s achieved his long dream.
I’ve written several times on UMB that one of the themes of the United States is the theme of redemption. From immigrants leaving damaged pasts behind to home-grown criminals making good, for those who are willing to admit error, as did Biden, the path of redemption is open. President Biden, between that error of intellectual appropriation and his apology, and the various mistakes that any legislator of serious intent can make, has certainly had his share of errors. And sought redemption.
Biden virtually embodies the idea of American redemption.
And, in that spirit, I entreat my reader of the anti-Trump persuasion to treat their friends and family who were steadfast Trump supporters, and may begin to seek redemption as they emerge from their Trump-inspired fever dreams, to not disdain them, but to welcome them back to your circle, and the greater circle we call the American mainstream. This is not a call for ignoring their mistakes, for redemption is not cost free; those who ask to be redeemed must admit error and express remorse.
But repairing the tears in our society are necessary if the United States is to move forward. This is what President Biden called for in his speech, and I think it’s necessary to echo and reinforce it.
