The Roar of the Colosseum

Why Republicans make great fodder and late-stage republics fall

This article is a continuation of last week's offering titled, the Power of Victimhood. Here

Early Christians in the Roman Empire were mostly peaceful citizens. They went about their day caring for family, paying taxes, and paying reverence to their one and only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I suppose, while the Roman pantheists were sleeping off last night’s tribute to Baucus, it was a bit irritating to see all those happy Christians gathering in their churches to praise their Lord. But apart from that annoying detail, Christians in the Roman Empire posed very little threat. That whole "turn the other cheek" and, "render unto Caesar that which is his" had lot to do with Christians remaining mostly obedient and docile citizens.

Yet, not unlike our modern time counterparts, the early Christians were scorned for not acknowledging state sponsored deities. However, their cancellations for such heresy were not shadow banning on social media sites, and enduring endless vile doxing from basement dwelling trolls. When a Roman Christian got canceled, it meant an all-expenses paid trip to the sands of the Colosseum where, for the amusement of the mob, they became prey for gladiators and ravenous lions. To quote the Mel Brooks' Roman alter ego Comicus, "when you die at the Palace, you really die at the Palace.”

So, what does the ancient Flavian Amphitheater have to do with cultural decay and national divorces? Turning one's cheek may gain one access to the eternal heavens, thus winning the final battle. However, playing by Divine rules and turning one's cheek in the political arena simply loses political elections. For if the political opponents are not of equal moral footing and fearful of Divine judgment, our Republic's system of government simply will not work. Don't take my word for it, John Adams stated as much 200+ years ago, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people, it is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." Benjamin Franklin doubled down on that sentiment when responding to a question of what kind of government did The Constitutional Convention deliver? Mr. Franklin responded, "a Republic, if you can keep it."

The Ancient Romans loved their victories the same way Packer fans love winning football games. They take it on as part of their self-identity. Conversely, when the Roman Empire or the Packers lost a battle 1000 miles away, both citizen and fan took it as a personal defeat. So powerful was this national identity that “win at all costs” was not just a cheer from the stands, it was a moral imperative. Any defeat generally brought humiliation to the commanding officer and sometimes, the tip of his own sword.

Much has been made of the United States recent mid-term elections. The highly predicted “red wave” turned out to be but a mere ripple. Were voters in Maricopa County, AZ suppressed because of long lines due to faulty voting equipment? Did mail-in ballot harvesting build a sufficient breakwater to subdue the incoming red waves in Pennsylvania? Quite simply, did the democrats in some of these key races cheat? As in the election in 2020, we probably will never know and if we find evidence of wrongdoing, nothing will happen to either the perpetrators nor the election results.

In the election game environment of these United States, the Democrats don the Romans “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” jerseys, and the Republicans are wearing team “moral high ground” uniforms. Both sides are playing the same game but by very different rules. Republican candidate and their supporters believe there is honor in following the rules and adhering to voting once on election day. To Democrats, winning is everything, and if the rules can be exploited to bring home a victory, the moral imperative of ruling eclipses personal honor. Very simply, for the “ends justify the means” political victory seekers, rules that deliver wins are, by their very nature noble and rules that result in defeat, are “voter suppression.” To quote my hyper-competitive bridge-playing uncle, “a peek is as good as a finesse” if it helps your win the game.

Where does this leave the American people in future elections? Democrats have found a winning formula by exploiting a “win within the rules” opponent and have zero motivation to alter their course. Republicans have two choices, use their power and influence to win at all costs as well, or like early Christians in the Roman empire, continue to be fodder for the sands of Colosseum. The former makes Republican no different than a Democrat and the latter is a bloodbath spectacle made merely for our amusement. Both however signify the death of our Republic. Mr. Adams and Franklin were not prophetic in their statements about holding on to a Republic form of government, they were merely studiers of history, and they knew that at some point, a republic form of government, unchecked by a moral and God-fearing people will descend into treasury raiding despotism.

There is a scene from the movie the Patriot when General Lord Cornwallis is discussing the honor in which the British are fighting the King’s war. He discusses with Colonel Tavington that history judges us not only the battle but the manor in which it was fought. Cornwallis orders Tavington to stop the brutal assaults on colonial citizens. Later in the film, after being bested by the ghost Benjamin Martin, General Cornwallis reverses course and orders Tavington to do what ever it takes to stop the South Caroline militia. Watch Clip Here

I think what is telling in this scene is watching the man of honor, General Cornwallis’ face as he realizes that with issuing his “win at all costs” order, he sold a piece of his soul. For in victory or defeat, a man who wins without honor truly cannot return to his home.

Since no savior of the American Republic will arise from an intentionally broken election system and morality does not suddenly spring from a vapid political apparatus, the American citizen is relegated to the stands of the colosseum. As in all late republics, we will demand bread and circuses as we cheer for our favorite team to strike the fatal blow upon our opponents. We will proudly wear our team’s jersey and revel in our earthly victories. But, deep down, we know something is not right. There is a twinge of regret, the kind of regret that arises the morning after a night of too much alcohol and frivolity. It is in those solitary moments that we see a glimpse of Divinity through the haze of our own self-deceit, and we think to ourselves, it doesn’t need to be like this. There is another way to live and govern our lives. We conclude that today is the day we will take God’s hand and walk a different path, a noble moral path. But not until we get a little “hair of the dog” first to rid our pounding head and the memory of last night. Besides, today is Sunday, and I have friends coming over to watch the big game. Tomorrow, we surmise, tomorrow we will answer God’s call and save our country from its wretched self…