While working on something else, yesterday I listened to portions of the Supreme Court arguments for and against the January 6 protestors.  Elizabeth Prelogar, the Solicitor General of the United States, argued to the nine justices, representing the present government of the United States and its Department of Justice.  I have to say, I would use the term “justice” loosely as it applies to the present government of the United States.

Fischer Versus United States

This case in the Supreme Court arose to a challenge of the prosecution of one particular January 6 protestor, Joseph Fischer, trying to defend himself against a federal statute applied by this Department of Justice against him.  The law this justice department scoured from its laws to sweep up hundreds of protestors for significant and selective harsh prosecution was U.S. Code 1512 (c) (1) and (2), which reads:

(c)  Whoever corruptly—
(1)  alters, destroys, mutilates, or conceals a record, document, or other object, or attempts to do so, with the intent to impair the object’s integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding; or
(2)  otherwise obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so,
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

This particular law hasn’t been used ever against protestors until this justice department selected it for use against January 6 protestors, which, as you know, were all Trump voters, perhaps in the realm of most extreme MAGA supporters.

I’m not defending what Fischer did.  However, I believe these protestors, who represent the incorrect side of the political spectrum, do not receive equal justice.  The other side gets away with such activity and even worse.  The Democrat Party right now is afraid of what their own voters might do at their Convention if they don’t stop Israel from extricating Hamas from Gaza.

Selective Prosecution

I thought most of the conservative justices, six of them, did a good job at exposing the government and its prosecution.  A majority of them will probably overturn the charge against Fischer and then all those against whom they used this law.  If applied as Prelogar argued, this law would cover many transgressions of protestors on the Democrat side through the years, who did not see a whiff of possible prosecution.  Even when I read the law, I think of Hillary Clinton hammering and acid-washing her hard drives to destroy evidence against her.

Justice Gorsuch asked Prelogar this question:

Would pulling a fire alarm before a vote qualify for 20 years in federal prison?

He referred to Representative Jamaal Bowman, Democratic Congressman from NY, who used a fire alarm in a Capitol office building, causing its evacuation last year, but he was not charged under the statute.

Apparently the federal government of the United States passed 1512 as a response to the Enron scandal in 2002, that involved massive document shredding and fraud.  It’s original intent was never for prosecution of protestors of government policy and actions.  Several Supreme Court justices exposed this transparent attempt to use the law and the government to single out these protestors to enact even more severe penalties.  Even if they deserved some punishment for their actions, this type of prosecution results in a chilling affect on a large portion of American citizens.

Prosecution and Persecution

I write this post to use this prosecution as an example of government persecution.  This government more than I’ve ever seen looks for laws to prosecute in more severe fashion political enemies.  They might use another or various set of laws to prosecute something else for which they want their chosen outcome.  This seems very easy to see.

The government protects, defends, and encourages vile and immoral activity.  In many cases, it is not a terror to evil, but to good.  Prosecution could equal persecution, when it proceeds from the government.  It terrorizes a message that does not support its view of the world.

Equal Justice

The idea of “equal justice” is a bit redundant.  Justice is equal.  It reminds me of 2 Peter 1, where Peter uses the terminology “like precious faith.”  No true faith is superior or inferior to another.  It’s faith from above, all the same.

Lady justice portrays justice with two manifestations of equal justice.  One, her scales are equal.  On one side is the crime and on the other is the punishment.  They are equal.

Two, she is blindfolded.  She does not judge based on sex, religion, race, or socio-economic level.  Everyone gets treated the same.  The generally poor, blue collar Trump voters, whom Hillary called “deplorables,” receive uniquely harsh punishment because they support the wrong leader.  The message is sit down and shut up.  If you speak up, we will find a way to prosecute you.

When God said, “eye for an eye,” that’s equal justice — not “life for an eye,” but “eye for an eye.”  The punishment meets the crime.

Christians Versus the United States

Christians do foresee the government selecting Christians for unique unequal prosecution and then punishment.  Prosecutors “have it in” for Christians.  Even if they do not win the prosecution, they bankrupt the Christian and damage him for the rest of his life.  They make an example of Christians, sending the message to all other Christians, that they could do the same to them.

Our unique bubble in history, a time of freedom, could come to an end.  This government, like the one Jesus and the Apostles faced, could make it harder to function as a true Christian in society.  This is what Jesus said would occur to Christians, so this does not mean, cease from preaching and stop serving in public.  No, it means that this bubble moment in the history of the world could end.  Be thankful for the freedom you have.  Use it.  But also understand that it could end and it could end soon.  Take advantage of the freedom now, while you have it.