ELAINE HARRIS SPEARMAN: Trump devotees stand to further the divide that exists in US

“Sweet home Alabama, where the skies are so blue” cannot brighten the overwhelmingly dark, cloudy feelings of oppression and fear that the senatorial candidates arouse in many of Alabama’s voters.

History appears to have taught us that dictatorships occur in other countries, not in America. We have seen a succession of bigoted, unfair leaders in America, but have had rare glimpses of behavior and acts that amount to what a dictator does to control the people.

Law school taught us that Black's Law Dictionary was one of a lawyer’s “biblical” tools. The first-year contracts professor at my law school was a consultant for “Paper Chase,” the movie that most of us have seen at least one hundred times as we identified with so many aspects of it.

Hence, as I listened to and watched the Senate candidates speak, all I could hear was the name of Donald J. Trump. Feelings came over me that I am positive that other people are experiencing. Many observers have said that Trump’s behavior and acts are more closely aligned to a dictatorship than a democracy.

It was important to understand the legal definition for a dictator, not what I think, (So says Professor Vincent Immel, former contracts professor at the St. Louis University School of Law.)

A “dictator” as described in Black’s is a magistrate created during times of national distress and peril, and invested with unlimited power. In Roman Law, he continued in office for only six months with unlimited power and authority over the property and the lives of the citizens.

Merriam-Webster's online dictionary adds, "One holding complete autocratic control; one ruling in an autocratic manner.”

It is documented that Trump has expressed admiration for dictators. He very publicly attempted to hijack the military for a public parade as we have seen dictators do. It became clearer by the way he went to extraordinary lengths to overturn the election of this country’s highest elected official.

It should be frightening to voters all over Alabama. The senatorial candidates' ads are hysterical, from “I can prove that I am tougher than a man” to “I can do all things in the image of Trump.” All admit to paying, and are proud of paying, homage to a would-be dictator.

What does it mean to the citizens of Alabama and, indeed, this country if the person sent to Washington has the mindset of the twice-impeached, mean-spirited, biased former president?

If elected, these Trump devotees stand to further the divide that exists now in America. That divide is among the voting public, which has had to bear an attempt to derail a national election as Trump devotees continue the lie of a “stolen election.”

The divided nation provides the “perfect storm” for a potential nuclear invasion of America by Russia’s Vladimir Putin. That old adage still stands: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” There is no target on liberals, conservatives, Christian and non-Christians. The target would be the West, America and its population.

Recent shooting events tell us that hatred is embedded in many Americans. It is fueled by the rhetoric of those who aspire to elective office. Hatemongers are using social media to spread their hatred and target people. They have decided they now have a platform to spew vile views that are not thoughtful or based upon anything but hate. I firmly believe that the world can thank Donald J. Trump for that.

What is true on the state and national level is also true on the local level, as we watch those office seekers. We hear the word “politics” used very loosely. Most of the time it’s used in a derogatory fashion and doesn’t speak well of political involvement.

The legal definition according to Black's Law Dictionary is; “The science of government; the art or practice of administering public affairs.”

Having said that, many of the people running for public office do not have an interest, or have not presented an interest, in making government better, or improving the affairs of government that make life better.

There can be no honorable intentions for public office when there is a willingness to attempt to destroy the character of others with false information, no matter where it came from. The quest for public office cannot be honorable when a candidate cannot win on personal merit, and stoops to outright slander and use of threats of slander based upon untruths to convince voters not to vote for an opposing candidate.

Candidates who are willing to subject themselves to anything suggested by those in the shadows and lurking in the wings do not deserve an elective office. We, as citizens, deserve better than “shadow” officials. Change for the sake of change and the desires of a person to hold an elective office offers no good reason to oust decent officials.

There are a multitude of jobs available. Declared candidates have no entitlement to a taxpayer funded job. Do the public a favor and stop being a serial candidate for tax-paid employment.

Elaine Harris Spearman, Esq., a Gadsden native, is an attorney and is the retired legal advisor to the comptroller of the City of St Louis. The opinions reflected are her own.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Candidates' loyalty to Trump is frightening