海角大神

As many of you know, I have arrived in Berlin and will be living in Germany for the next year. (See last Thursday鈥檚 Daily for details.) In a Monitor meeting this morning came the obvious question: What do people in Germany think about the indictment of former U.S. President Donald Trump?

There is an easy answer and a somewhat more complicated one. The easy answer is they are fairly appalled. Here are a few choice words from , arguably the country鈥檚 leading daily newspaper:

鈥淎nyone who hasn鈥檛 become jaded three years after the storming of the Capitol and hasn鈥檛 written off America as a beacon of democracy will have their blood run cold when reading this document-packed description of Trump鈥檚 election fraud attempts. Watergate and every other scandal pale in comparison.鈥�

That鈥檚 strong meat. But here鈥檚 the thing. It is always easier to be categorical about someone else鈥檚 country. I鈥檝e noticed this from Germany to Afghanistan. Problems that seem simple in other countries often feel much more complicated at home. The certainty of black and white fades into shades of gray.

This can be good and bad. Any attempt to overthrow a legitimate democratic election should be addressed with clarity and conviction. Mild rebukes are often the same as tacit acceptance. Yet it鈥檚 important to remember this is a legal case, and it is by no means certain what the outcome will be. 鈥淭he defendant must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,鈥� said special counsel Jack Smith.

Moreover, strong stands can sometimes descend into dehumanizing: What are 鈥渢hose people鈥� thinking? Do Germans want to understand why many Americans continue to support Mr. Trump? I hope so. I鈥檒l be encouraging them to follow the story closely and get a better grasp of the complex forces at work. Moral clarity and human decency are both needed for societies to move from strife toward healing.聽