One day, when unbiased, non-woke, not-in-the-tank-for-the-Democrats historians appear once again in our nation, they will draw apt comparisons between former President Donald J. Trump – before, during, and after the sham show-trial forced upon him by the Democratic machine seeking to keep him off the ballot – and the likes of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Hancock.
While some may find that a stretch, it is not.
Just about two years ago, I authored a book titled: The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence. The sole purpose of that book was to not only warn of the far-left’s increasing attempts to cancel the 4th of July and our Founding Fathers, but to outline how to stop them.
For over a year prior to its publication, I spent endless hours researching the men who eventually signed the Declaration as well as those who did not. Men, by the way, who were all flawed and imperfect human beings, as are we all.
In many ways, it was the mindset of the men who refused to step up to sign the most famous document in our history, which ultimately highlighted the incredible courage, fortitude, sacrifice and genius of those who did sign. Most especially, the wealthiest of the Signers.
Back in 1776, the vast majority of the wealthy in the Colonies either remained silent, or openly became “Loyalists” to the British Crown. Why? They did not want to rock the boat or risk their wealth and privilege.
Fortunately for us, our wealthy Founding Fathers decided they could not live with themselves if they did not step out from that pack of entitled silent sheep to take a stand against the tyranny of the Crown. Each asked the two most critically important questions of their lives: “If not me, who? If not now, when?”
Now, let’s flash ahead to June of 2015.
At that time, Trump was one of the wealthiest and most well-known men not only in the United States, but in the world. He was a multibillionaire with a global business empire. Why in the world would he rock that boat? Better – like the wealthy of 1776 – to play nice with the entrenched establishment elites in both political Parties so as to secure his wealth and privilege.
I was told by friends of Trump that as he travelled the country in 2015 he was truly shocked and saddened by what he saw. That being countless Americans suffering under the failed policies of a broken and corrupt political system. And it was then, I was told that Trump asked himself those same two questions: “If not me, who? If not now, when?”
So, he declared himself a candidate for President.
And from the second he did, he was savaged by the forces from the left as well as Republican “Never-Trumpers” who knew they could not control him. As we know, once he shocked the political world with his victory in 2016, those vile attacks only intensified. By 2020, it was clear that there was no line the Democrats and their bootlickers in the liberal media would not cross to “get Trump.”
Come 2024 Trump did not have to guess what some Democrats had in store for him if he ran for President because they openly telegraphed the strategy. They had a bloodlust to imprison him by any means necessary.
Now, think about that for a moment. Trump knew they were marshaling an army of activist liberal judges, prosecutors, district attorneys and state supreme courts against him in a desperate attempt to imprison him and he still chose to run for president.
Many have forgotten – or are not taught – that a number of Founding Fathers paid a cruel price for signing the Declaration of Independence. As in: having their homes and crops burned to the ground; their livestock slaughtered; being imprisoned; being tortured; having their wives arrested and sexually abused; and their sons arrested.
In spite of that – and because of that – our Founding Fathers believed that unless and until they imprison us or take our lives, they cannot silence our individual voices. They can’t stop us from speaking out in the defense of our liberty and our rights.
Trump would not be silenced. Illegal gag orders or not, he spoke out for his rights while highlighting the threats against his liberty and…ours.
And as his voice still echoes, we should all think: “There but for the Grace of God go I.” For if the forces of the far-left can do this to a multibillionaire former President of the United States, they can do it to any one of us.
Sadly, there are multiple conservative, Republican, and faith-based billionaires with broad reaching talents who have chosen to remain on the sidelines. Who have chosen to “not rock the boat.” Who have allowed themselves to be cowed into silence by the forces of the far-left.
Trump was – and is – not one. Honest history will one day record that when the United States of our time needed a champion with the traits of a “Founding Father,” Trump stood up and fought the good fight against the entrenched establishments and overwhelming odds.
A fight he is still waging.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the book: The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence.