I have been asked what my spiritual or ethical take is on the controversies surrounding pardons. Of particular interest is President Biden granting his son what looks to be an even better deal than getting a Monopoly game ‘Get Out of Jail, Free’ card. Specifically, my readers want to know if I would have pardoned Hunter if he were my child.
Many people are tending to look at this situation from only two different perspectives. The first opinion champions what any loving parent would do, and the other is dominated by concerns about what former President Trump has done in the past, or will do with his pardon powers once he takes office in 2025.
I think those binary views are inadequate to resolve the grand question before all of us. At the core of one’s maturation, and receiving its gift of wisdom, is being able to figure out what we need to do or say, so that we maintain our integrity. Without that being rock solid, it’s virtually impossible to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of what is the “right and fair” thing to do or say in any situation we find ourselves in.
To get to that understanding, my spiritual playbook requires me to contemplate as many considerations/factors/data points as I can envision. Before I can rest in the peace, from having truly efforted to get to the Truth, I have to do quite a bit of work. Only then does the answer, a resolution, point me toward accepting one unshakable perspective.
So, for example, as a parent, I can easily understand why many parents who are put in difficult legal positions by their children, as Hunter did with his own, would want to ease their child’s suffering and/or liabilities. When it comes to skirmishes with the law, many parents will find the best legal team they can afford, who can present the strongest case for setting their child up for either no penalty/consequence or a more modest accountability. But the way I look at President Biden’s options is not solely that of being an unconditionally loving parent.
What I believe must supersede that parental role is the fact that he is not only the president of the United States, he is the leader of the free world. As such, he does not, from my spiritual playbook, have the luxury of pulling the ‘get out of your accountability’ card for his son, or anyone in his family.
I know, I know. That sounds a bit harsh. But as I see it, when you assume great power, as Biden did by accepting the presidency of this country that is based on the rule of law, you have immense responsibility, and the obligation, to do what is fair and right.
Biden is within the law to pardon Hunter, but a stickler point is he had repeatedly said he would not pardon his son. He failed in his spiritual obligation to preserve his integrity when he gave that dispensation. He also failed his duty to come before the American public, and the world, to look us all in the face and explain more thoroughly his thought process — and then take a slew of questions from the press and public.
I think it is a disgrace to put the blame on an unfair judicial process. Or claim there will be additional politically motivated investigations of Hunter. Only time will tell. Either position serves to diminish one’s integrity. Equally unfortunate is that he sets a lousy example. Equal justice under the law? Hardly.
For a politician who had campaigned on being a uniter, rather than a divider, he sure knows how to step in it.
Giselle M. Massi is the author of “We are Here for a Purpose: HOW TO FIND YOURS” and the novel “Just Dance the Steps.” Giselle was a journalist with The Denver Post for 16 years and writes the newspaper advice column TELL GISELLE. Contact her at www.gisellemassi.com.
