The essence of class

By Dr. E. Faye Williams
TriceEdneyWire.com Columnist

Just as we had seen during the campaign for election for president of the United States between Vice President Kamala Harris and the convicted felon where there really was no competition between the 34-count convicted felon who got off punishment again by making a mockery of our so-called system of justice, we had already seen the difference between class and no class. Obviously, we saw the essence of class always shown by Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump’s behavior throughout the campaign was such an embarrassment that when he went to the microphone, we immediately had to hang our heads in shame about what he said or did. We’re still hanging our heads in shame for what a certain group of the American people did when they voted for him! Or did they? Our rules tell us we’re expected to accept the results of our elections, yet it’s hard to accept the Harris/Trump results, but we do it in disbelief because we had witnessed his sending a violent mob to the U.S. Capitol to interrupt the proceedings four years ago when his own Vice President Mike Pence chose to do the right thing – not yielding to make Trump president when he had not won.

Because there is no evidence to the contrary, the Honorable Kamala Harris, did her job with class when she walked up to the podium and read the results she was given. She used no vulgarity, no hate, no name-calling, no lies. She was courteous when the Republicans applauded loudly before she could continue once she gave the Orange Man’s number of votes and they continued applauding before she read her own votes. She politely paused before continuing. She never called Trump or them filthy names.

She never showed his minions any rude behavior – but did you see her courteously reach out her hand to shake the hand of Bruce Fischer, spouse of Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska? That showed another act of class by her, but not from him. She just walked away and continued the job she had come to the Capitol to do. I could only hope Senator Fischer had more class and made it a point to chastise her classless spouse when they got home.

January 6 will remain in our minds as we see Trump still threatening retribution for law-abiding citizens while offering to pardon perpetrators of the violence his associates reigned down on the people’s Capitol and law-abiding citizens.

Senators Marco Rubio, Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham once said about the attacks on the Capitol, the police and the building itself, they were done with the criminals until Orange Man reigned them in and quickly showed them who the boss is, they closed their mouths never to tell the truth about the situation again.

On that awful day, Orange Man went out to speak to the perpetrators telling them, “Go home now. I love you” (or something like that.) The only bright spot on that fateful day was a welcomed, but totally unexpected day when former vice president, Mike Pence, refused to bow to the threats to hang him while the Orange Man kept urging them instead of quelling the violence.

Clearly, the threat didn’t end when the insurrectionists left the Capitol steps. Many of those who fueled Trump’s Big Lies have risen to positions of power as he returns to the White House. That’s scary! Please pray for our nation.

Let history show that Vice President Harris has shown us the grace and dignity that caused Former President Jimmy Carter to be determined to live long enough after his dear wife left when he said “I want to live long enough to vote for Kamala Harris.” I, too, am glad I was alive when our V.P. Harris showed the world what class is, as did President Jimmy Carter!

This article originally published in the January 20, 2025 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.