I wonder if that is how history will remember July 16, 2018, the day of President Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki? Dare we hope that the Helsinki fiasco will finally awaken the sleeping giant of bipartisan patriotism enough for Congress to grow a spine and do their constitutional duty to provide checks and balances on the President?
For those too young to remember Watergate let me describe the parallels I see between the Mueller probe of the 2016 election and 1974, the only time in American history that a unified Congress forced a sitting president out of office. The Watergate affair got its name from the building which housed the Democratic National Committee. President Nixon’s paranoia inspired a botched break in at the DNC to steal information about campaign strategy for the 1972 presidential election. As is often the case Nixon’s flawed attempts to cover up his role in the foolish escapade is what eventually forced him to resign in 1974 before a remarkably bipartisan Congress could impeach him.
The Trump administration should take especial note of the fact that Nixon’s infamous “Saturday Night Massacre” when he fired special prosecutor Archibald Cox who was closing in on him was the final straw that tipped the balance in Congress and in the court of public opinion against Nixon.
It was a truly tragic and foolish ending to a long political career. Watergate wiped out any good Nixon had accomplished. All the 37th President is remembered for is Watergate and being the only President (so far) to be forced out of office.
The whole Watergate escapade was foolish because the Democratic Party was so dysfunctional in 1972 that Nixon would have easily won reelection without whatever information was acquired in the Watergate break in. The Democratic candidate George McGovern was a very good man, seminary trained, a World War II bomber pilot; but he was far too liberal for mainstream America in those bitter Viet Nam war days and only carried one state in the Electoral College. It was one of the most lopsided presidential elections in history.
John Kennedy called people with the moral courage and integrity to stand up for truth, even when it is a very lonely place to stand, “Profiles in Courage” in his Pulitzer Prize book by that title. Times like Watergate and Helsinkigate require such heroines and heroes who are willing to do what is right instead of what is popular; those willing to value their eternal souls and inner peace over political expediency, who care more about country than party or ideology.
That’s a very lonely place to stand as described in some lines from the wonderful play, “Inherit the Wind,” where attorney Drummond gives young teacher Bert Cates some wonderful advice. Cates is the character modeled after John Scopes who was tried for teaching evolution in a famous trial in Tennessee in 1925. Drummond says to Cates: “It’s the loneliest feeling in the world to find yourself standing up when everyone else is sitting down.”
One of my favorite hymns is one we rarely sing in United Methodist circles. It has not been familiar or popular in any of the 8 churches I’ve served. Written by Congregational minister S. Ralph Harlow in 1931 in the early years of the Great Depression some verses of the hymn were omitted from the 1935 and 1966 Methodist Hymnals because they were, as the title suggests, too prophetic. In other words singing these words makes us uncomfortable by holding up the mirror of truth in front of us and challenging us to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ.
How contemporary these 86 year-old words sound today:
“O young and fearless Prophet of ancient Galilee: your life is still a summons to serve humanity, to make our thoughts and actions less prone to please the crowd, to stand with humble courage for truth with hearts unbowed.
O help us stand unswerving against war’s bloody way, where hate and lust and falsehood hold back your holy sway; forbid false love of country, that turns us from your call; who lifts above the nation the neighborhood of all.
Create in us the splendor that dawns when hearts are kind, that knows not race nor station as boundaries of the mind; that learns to value beauty, in heart, or mind, or soul, and longs to see God’s children as sacred, perfect, whole.
Stir up in us a protest against unneeded wealth; for some go starved and hungry who plead for work and health. Once more give us your challenge above our noisy day, and come to lead us forward along your holy way.”
I read a great quote somewhere recently that said, “If you decide to follow Jesus the world will break your heart over and over.” Young and not so young prophets know that pain all too well, but they also know a deeper truth. The God who calls us to be profiles in courage is the great healer of broken hearts. That God is the one who looks at times such as these and says, “Whom shall I send?” And the world is waiting to see who has the courage to respond, “Here am I, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)
If you are brave enough, read the rest of Isaiah 6 to see what Isaiah predicts for his nation if their hearts are too callous to hear and understand God’s truth and justice. Spoiler alert – it’s not a pretty picture. May we today have better ears to hear hard truth that Isaiah’s Israel did!
Peacefully Harsh 
Well said, as usual. Actually, some of my congregations liked the hymn,