January was a busy month in the media. We got a new president, numerous protests broke out across the country and some politicians decided to take a stand. John Lewis’ appearances at the protests happening in downtown Atlanta were all over local media platforms.
Lewis is a great man. He worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and organized countless non-violent protests and sit-ins for things he believed in. He worked very hard for change. John Lewis suffered and quite literally bled in the trenches for civil rights.
He has faithfully served as a United States Senator for 30 years representing Georgia’s 5th district. The 5th District is an area of Atlanta that includes wealthy localities like Buckhead, as well as some of Atlanta’s poorest neighborhoods. One of these neighborhoods, Vine City, was once home to the great Martin Luther King, Jr. himself.
In the days leading up to Trump’s inauguration, Senator Lewis told NBC News’s Chuck Todd that he did not believe Trump’s presidency was legitimate. He also indicated that he did not plan to attend the inaugural festivities on January 20th. While he, like the rest of us, has every right to worry and doubt President Trump, Senator Lewis has a responsibility to ensure and promote the peaceful transition of power from one president to the next.
The fact of the matter is that the legitimacy of Trump’s election is not in question. His character and ability to lead our country wisely and prudently, however, is very suspect. I believe that Lewis let his heart and frustration get the better of him. Elected officials have a responsibility to put their personal feelings aside for the sake of a peaceful transition. Our own wonderful former President Obama did just that. He smiled, shook hands and offered to help while expressing deep concerns about Donald Trump’s ability to lead.
Transitions between presidents often show how united we are as a country, and this one had been the toughest in recent years. Senator Lewis should have tried to unite us and promote peace between presidencies in this time of great uncertainty.
Although many, including myself, have several doubts about Trump, we should stand together as a country. We have to grow and try our best to stay together these next four years, and our politicians need to lead us in that. It’s their responsibility to help the citizens along the rocky path towards unity, and I believe this was one weak moment among many of Senator Lewis’s strong ones.
