With great power comes great responsibility. In 1807, the British parliament outlawed the slave trade on the high seas. They assigned the Royal Navy, the most powerful force the world had ever known, to enforce it. Their navy was designed to be more powerful than the next two navies in the world combined.
However, they had been embarrassed about 20 years before by this upstart nation on a different continent. The founders of that upstart had written into their Constitution a complex rule that made the importation of African slaves impractical after 1808.
Our United States of America spends more on defense than the next nine largest-spending countries in the world, combined 鈥� although their costs may be a lot lower. That makes it possible, but not morally right, to be a bully. Medieval knights and Christ鈥檚 apostles were told to use their weapons and strength only to defend the helpless.
Wake up! Every day, we are faced with a new outrage. It鈥檚 starting to feel like it鈥檚 normal, and that鈥檚 the terrifying part. Every program that benefits those who work for a living is getting gutted, from the Affordable Care Act to public broadcasting. USAID and 66 UN agencies cut off. The three longest government shutdowns that cost millions of dollars extra for each day. DOGE actually cost more than was proposed to save. Random tariffs make management of all but the largest businesses a nightmare.
Bombs dropped on seven sovereign countries.
What鈥檚 next? First, they came for the 鈥渋llegal鈥� immigrants, with illegal loosely defined.
ICE arrested people attempting to do the right thing at their immigration court appearances.
ICE thugs are shooting American citizens and murdering a few without justification.
ICE is recruiting unqualified people and putting them on the streets with lethal weapons and no training. Naturally, they claim qualified immunity, a concept not specified by law, but tacitly accepted by the Supreme Court.
At least the Gestapo did not hide their faces. Peace officers are taught to only shoot to defend themselves or to protect others and only shoot a fleeing suspect to prevent a felony.
Next, ICE went after those who looked like immigrants and then those who might be immigrants based on their location, like immigration court or a 91直播 Depot parking lot. No one is safe. MAGA wants to end birthright citizenship, a constitutional feature of almost every country in the western hemisphere, and is looking for excuses to revoke people鈥檚 citizenship.
It does not stop there. Small boats on the Caribbean Sea are summarily destroyed with no warning or attempt to stop them. Many call that a war crime. As a matter of international maritime protocol, survivors must be rescued. Instead, survivors were killed. Clearly a war crime.
Using a multimillion-dollar missile to do it is a fiscal crime. Who told the Navy to not collect the evidence that would justify their action? Is arresting Maduro justified? Was it done legally?
Our president has declared himself unrestrained by international law, or American law, either. He says he needs only his own morality. Me first. He ignores international treaties and removes America鈥檚 support from international organizations, especially those that aid the needy or promote peace.
He has convinced himself and his MAGA followers that there are no constraints whatsoever on the power of his office. He has pardoned more felons than almost all the other presidents put together, and issued more executive orders than all the other presents put together. It seems like if there was a national crown, he would put it on his own head like Napoleon.
The president鈥檚 decisions are so random and disconnected that I have to wonder: Is he really in control, or is he just an errand boy for the Heritage Foundation鈥檚 Project 2025 agenda?
A few Republicans have seen the light, and a few more are coming around. Why do so many who disagree just drop out into obscurity or a sinecure? Are they getting an offer they can鈥檛 refuse? The question remains: Will more patriotic Republicans finally step up to protect our republic so we can keep it?
Line 1, sounded like a good idea, but the slave traders would jettison their cargo to avoid prosecution.
Ken Obenski is a forensic engineer and safety and freedom advocate in South Kona. He writes a biweekly column for 91直播. Feedback is encouraged at obenskik@gmail.com.