"It can happen to anyone"

Today was an historic, and unfortunate, day in American history. A president was charged with a crime for the first time ever. I always thought that was the kind of thing that only happened in other countries. It's hardly a secret that I think Trump has been pretty bad for the country for a number of reasons, but I never wanted him to fail, because that wouldn't be good for anyone. But when he lost the election and lied about all of the ways that the he "won," that was a line that I didn't think even he would cross.

Let's be clear, we don't even know what he has been charged with, or what evidence supports those charges, so it's silly to take any position about the validity of the case at this point. But this one is probably the least serious of the bunch. He's also under investigation presumably for obstruction of justice in not returning documents that he should not have had, there's the election interference case in Atlanta, and the January 6th investigation. I would think that's where the real jeopardy lies.

Like anyone, he should be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and subject to due process. That's what the American standard is. That seems like a generous expectation for the "lock her up" guy, but that's the difference between people who believe in the law and those who only pay it lip service.

Trump's advocates are already shouting about unfairness and political persecution, even though they don't know what the charges or evidence are either. But perhaps most striking is the theme that if this can happen to a former president, it can happen to anyone. What a strange thing to say, depending on your point of view. Their implication is the idea that we're all subject to random persecution, even a person who was elected president, which again assumes a meritless case with no evidence.

But if you're someone pulled over for the color of your skin, or wrongfully convicted of something and released decades later because you were innocent, or even someone facing jail time for possession of weed... then "it can happen to anyone" is exactly the point, and the outcome that you've been waiting for. You've watched rich white men get away with things while police murdered George Floyd in broad daylight, acting as judge, jury and executioner for a petty crime he was never tried for.

Justice has never truly been equal in America. This case is not intended to make an example of anyone, it's just intended to try a man for a crime that a grand jury believes he committed. Unfortunately for us, it happens to be a former president.