An Example For How Unity Can Be Restored In America

The assassination attempt against President Trump is already being seen as a defining moment for most Americans. I will never forget watching Trump’s rally on my phone when the would-be assassin’s bullets interrupted the address. Having been through firefights, the snapping of bullets piercing the speed of sound was and ominous reminder. When Trump hit the ground I thought he was dead. At that moment, I considered what an assassination would mean in ripping apart the nation. Thankfully, Trump was hit in the ear with the seeming miracle the bullet didn’t strike his head. Within hours, Joe Biden made the first of three addresses from the White House decrying violence and calling for unity. Trump and other Republicans also called for calm, though angered at outrageous rhetoric against Trump over the years. The shooter must have been driven by mortal hatred. Most wonder how unity can be restored, though history provides an answer.

Joe Biden: “Trump is a genuine threat to our nation. Trump is a threat to our freedom. Trump is a threat to our Democracy."

First, it is important to remember how mean-spirited anti-Trump rhetoric had become leading up to the shooting. We have all heard the ubiquitous refrain from Biden, parroted by Democratic and media allies alike, that Trump is a “threat to Democracy”. The initial Biden reelection campaign theme was initially the alleged success of “Bidenomics”. This went nowhere, as polls showed the American people believed Biden’s economic plan was a failure. Then Biden went solely anti Trump as the way to win. In the weeks before the shooting, Jill Biden told American service members Trump was “evil”. On June 28 Joe Biden posted on X: “Trump is a genuine threat to our nation. Trump is a threat to our freedom. Trump is a threat to our Democracy. Trump is literally a threat to everything America stands for.” In the week of the shooting, Biden twice told others Trump needed to be in the “bullseye”. After the shooting and calls for unity, Biden attempted to gaslight and claim he was providing a warning to Americans about Trump’s threat to Democracy. No repentance for calling Trump a “genuine threat to our nation” or “literally a threat to everything America stands for”. Gaslighting continued.

In 1974 the nation was similarly reeling from division. Then it was over the Watergate scandal coming around a year after the withdrawal of American ground troops from Vietnam (and within around a year of the ultimate fall of Saigon). The first war we were perceived to have lost, and at the price of over 55,000 dead. The partisan divide was deep and growing, as new revelations about Watergate came daily.

Ford saw the danger of continued national division

Nixon was forced to resign as President before the end of his term and Gerald Ford entered his Presidency in a crisis. Ford saw the danger of continued national division. He knew prosecution would bring further American disunity to the breaking point. Ford agonized over the decision, but finally decided to grant Nixon a pardon. As he expected, Ford’s decision was overwhelmingly unpopular at the time, with polls showing Americans were almost two to one against the pardon. Time would vindicate Ford, as within a decade those numbers almost flipped. By 1984 a substantial majority supported the pardon for helping heal the nation. In the decades since, most reputable historians and political figures have praised Ford for the decision in saving national unity.

Ford’s address before granting Nixon’s pardon is telling of the mindset of Ford and many national leaders of the period. Ford began with a simple declaration of the importance of God to our system “The Constitution is the supreme law of our land and it governs our actions as citizens. Only the laws of God, which govern our consciences, are superior to it…. we are a nation under God, so I am sworn to uphold our laws with the help of God.”

Ford recognized the need for unity and what he must do as President “After years of bitter controversy and divisive national debate, I have been advised, and I am compelled to conclude that many months and perhaps more years will have to pass before Richard Nixon could obtain a fair trial”. Ford concluded the disunity had to stop and that was his duty under God “My conscience tells me clearly and certainly that I cannot prolong the (disunity)…. My conscience tells me that only I, as President, have the constitutional power to firmly shut and seal this book. My conscience tells me it is my duty, not merely to proclaim domestic tranquility but to use every means that I have to insure it.”  As a result, Ford sacrificed his reelection but saved America untold disunity.(President Gerald R. Ford's Remarks on Signing a Proclamation Granting Pardon to Richard Nixon)

Ford put the nation and national unity as his top duty under God. He considered the mercy he would expect from God in granting the pardon. In the case of Biden, demonizing Trump appears the path to reelection (though Biden may be dropping out as of the writing of this article). As with Ford, unity must come first. Recognition of God’s law and mercy drove Ford to make the unpopular but right decision. It’s again time for national leaders to unify under God, His law and mercy to others. Including political adversaries.

Col. Bill Connor——Bio and Archives – Col. Bill Connor is a retired U.S. Army Infantry officer, attorney, and founding partner of NATIONAL DEFENSE CONSULTANTS, LLC. While in the Army, Connor logged multiple deployments to the Middle East, and he has commanded both light Infantry and Ranger training companies. From 2007 through 2008 he was deployed to Afghanistan where he became the senior U.S. military adviser in Helmand Province. Since the start of the October 2023 war in Israel, he has provided analysis to NEWSMAX.