“Now He said to his disciples, ‘It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It is better for him if a millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea, than that he may cause one of these little ones to sin.” –Luke 17:1-2 [Emphasis added.]
For those of us who revel in truth and justice, it certainly hasn’t been our week.
The Epstein client list supposedly consists of hundreds of friends, acquaintances, and sexual abuse victims from documents provided by the late Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell allegedly acted as an associate of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, helping him traffic underage girls to prominent politicians, Hollywood actors, wealthy global leaders, bankers, the CIA, and many other alphabet departments.
Epstein supposedly died by suicide while in jail in 2019. So, for several years, regular Americans like me have been waiting and hoping that the Epstein client list would be released, so pedophiles would be arrested and justice served. I have approached this just like I approach Auburn football seasons – cautiously optimistic, while bracing for disappointment.
Disappointing is an understatement right now. We finally have a Republican president and a Republican majority in the House and Senate. We have a president who campaigned on releasing the list of sexual abusers and delivering justice to sexually assaulted, underage girls. His son, Donald Trump, Jr., stated we need to do it. Vice President JD Vance called for releasing the client list. Attorney General Pam Bondi demanded it. FBI Director Kash Patel was adamant about it.
For the past week, we have heard retractions, silence, and even lies. But just the other day may have seen the worst when Republicans blocked a Democrat-backed effort to require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all records related to Epstein. If passed, this amendment would have forced Bondi to publish evidence in connection with the federal government’s prosecution and imprisonment of Epstein.
I often tell myself not to check X, but I’m an emotional cutter and cannot help but scan the news. It’s daunting to see how conservatives are imploring us to move on from the heinous crime of child trafficking. People I would have never imagined – Charlie Kirk, Dinesh D’Souza, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, President Donald Trump – have all waved us on from this “distraction from all the wins.” And then there are the silent ones – Alabamians like Rep. Gary Palmer, Sen. Katie Britt, Rep. Barry Moore, etc. … not a peep about justice for victims of child rape. I know they have children. Where is the outrage?
It seems our two-tiered justice system is still very much in place. The wealthy, powerful, foreign leaders who walk the global stage and commit high crimes appear to be untouchable, as do those who walk the halls of Congress. Some insidious child abusers have walked Hollywood’s red carpet. Regardless of where they walk today, moving on from these disgusting acts of evil stomps on the trauma many underage girls endured at Epstein Island, where they were sexually assaulted countless times and treated like slaves.
Trump – the man I voted for – had the audacity to write that these lists were written by Democrats and therefore unreliable. He stated that those of us fixated on the client list, stubbornly refusing to move forward, are “selfish.” He stated that Bondi or “Binder Bondi” as I call her, is wonderful! Former Rep. Matt Gaetz also just called her the best pick Trump could have made for attorney general. Of course, that could just be the Botox talking.
I am like much of Trump’s conservative base right now. I am grateful for the many things he has done to help our country. But I am not about to turn a blind eye to the rich elites who have committed pedophilia, simply because it might trash the stock market or put half of Congress behind bars.
I implore each of you who consider yourselves conservatives or Christians, or both, to not tether yourself to any one imperfect leader or party. We can appreciate what our president or congressional representatives do on many fronts and still call them out for blatant wrongdoing when necessary.
It is challenging to stand against the tide. We all struggle to do so. It’s nothing new under the sun. In Esther 4, Queen Esther’s uncle Mordecai learned of a grave plot to kill the Jews. He sent word to her, but she replied that she could be of little help. He sent word again, this time more succinctly:
Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?
Now is the time for our congressional leaders to stand firm and demand transparency and justice for these victims. If you are in Congress and you are unwilling to do so, it is time for you to come home.
Robby Starbuck may have said it best on X, “A society that isn’t 100% transparent about powerful people raping 1,000+ little girls will descend into spiritual darkness.”
Kristin Landers is a substitute teacher and freelance writer. Landers’ previous work includes serving as Communications Director for the Alabama Policy Institute and working for Citizens Against a Legalized Lottery (CALL) to defeat legalized gambling in the state of Alabama.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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