Rule of Law, a bedrock of American society, dead at 243

Rest in a thousand little pieces

Rule of Law, known and respected widely by a majority of Americans, died a public and very tragic death this past Tuesday.

In the week since her death, tributes have appeared in most reputable newspapers, television news networks, and social media sites. Other more extremist and fringe media outlets and politicians, including the President of the United States, have been silent on the matter.

Although not born in the United States of America, Rule of Law flourished in the early days of the country. John Adams, a founder and second President, insisted that the country be one of laws and not of men. Other early endorsements include one from Alexander Hamilton who famously opined that Rule of Law must take precedence, otherwise force (and subsequently loss of freedoms) will rule the people.

With the unfortunate death of Rule of Law on January 6, 2021, it is apparent that force (or lack of it in protecting our institutions) is seen as an increasingly viable option to be used by the current occupant of the White House.

Adherence to the Rule of Law has been widely practiced in this country and exported to other countries around the world. Long seen as a bedrock of American society, she was admired by burgeoning democracies around the world. She was witness to a few hiccups in the United States, most notably the traitorous Confederacy in the 1860’s, President Nixon subverting her a century later, and a handful of domestic terror attacks and institutional murder of hundreds of black people.

Rule of Law famously viewed her role in this country as conditional. As Edmund Burke once wrote, “bad laws are the worst kind of tyranny”. This was not permission to disobey laws one didn’t like, rather it was an expression of the understanding that oppressive and unequally applied law (see: segregation, Jim Crow, et al) should be changed through protest. Rule of Law was deferential to those who protested unjust laws, systemic racism, and other forms of bigotry, and her death was not hastened by them in any way.

Rule of Law had been in ill health recently, with the entirety of the Executive Branch and numerous members of the Legislative and Judicial Branch of the US Government repeatedly testing her limits, only for her to recover with the help of a diverse, and caring cadre of American patriots. This intermingling of politics and law did not recently start, but has been building steadily for decades. The culmination of this was the recent and egregious acts of insurrection at the United States Capitol, causing her to be taken off of life support.

Rule of Law was preceded in death by decency, civil discourse, common sense, facts, and equal and impartial justice under the law.

In lieu of flowers, please request action from your local, state, and national lawmakers.

UPDATED, January 11, 2021. 10:27am:

Reports of Rule of Law’s demise have been premature and exaggerated. Rule of Law’s publicist had previously and incorrectly announced her death. Rule of Law can be revived and sustained, but only if WE the people demand it.