It was shocking, for a variety of reasons, to hear about the ‘impeachment souvenir pens,’ with Pelosi’s signature, handed out to signatories of the impeachment papers against the American President. That the Democrats’ waiting for souvenirs held up delivery of legal papers, and that it wasn’t disclosed as the reason for delay, shows a deep lack of respect for even the impeachment process itself. The alleged price tag of $15,000 per pen, paid by the taxpayers, was another shocking figure — more than a year’s salary for the President (who donates his salary anyway.) [Other sources indicate $15,000 total worth of all 30 pens. When the final amount is clear, that figure will be adjusted here.]
What is even more shocking is the symbolism of using the image of a bullet as a key element of the pen design. What does it mean? It seems difficult to attribute any meaning to it, other than the message: “If an impeachment isn’t successful, the next step is assassination.” It is a frightening gesture of violence in a country where these very perpetrators claim to be against guns, but use the imagery of ammunition for their own political purposes and intimidation! And should we miss the analogy between delivering the bullet pens on a silver platter, and the biblical story of Herod’s ordering up John the Baptist’s head on a silver platter, at the behest of Herodias, another woman scorned?
Consider for a moment if the teenage Nicholas Sandmann, from Covington KY, had been wearing to the pro-life rally a tee-shirt with that bullet pen image, how that would have been played up by the media! He would have been seen as threatening; he’d have been accused of provoking fear; he’d have been denounced. As an instigator, he never would have been able to favorably settle his personal lawsuit for defamation against CNN and others.
This gesture against the President isn’t a cute publicity stunt. It is the graphic avowal of rejecting all that should underpin our country’s values. What seems appropriate to happen next is the bringing of hate crime charges at least against those who participated in such action. When bakers get convicted of hate crimes for refusing to bake a wedding cake (and they have), it is not right to let elected Congressional Representatives off the hook for poor judgment and sinister intent. It’s a hate crime; let’s call it what it is.
Cleansing Fire has generally not gone after strictly political issues. But political issues have gone after what most of the people on this site hold to be dear — the life of an unborn baby, the sanctity of marriage, and protection for the vulnerable at end of life. And some of the facts of this case are yet to be clarified. But we would be remiss now not to notice the situation, and call out a hate crime for what it seems to be.
It’s outrageous that the taxpayers are footing the bill for those souvenir impeachment pens. o The ordering of monogrammed impeachment pens by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not only inappropriate, but in extremely poor taste. I think Nancy Pelosi is trying to make an exhibit of her power and position and seal for herself fame and a place in history.
The Democratic Party in ages past, used to be defined as the Working Man’s Party and worked to assure rights and safeguards of the working class. That party has morphed into a party that does not respect life, and the right to life, among the most vulnerable, and a party which does not uphold the traditional values of family. We can see the fruits of the Liberal Democratic Party in New York State since Governor Andrew Cuomo took office.