Roy Rogers Is Back With Us
After a long absence, and a couple of generations completely in the dark, Roy Rogers is back with us.
Of course, after such a prolonged absence, we’ll have to introduce Roy Rogers and his largeness to many current readers. Roy was a Hollywood cowboy, the likes of which we haven’t seen before or since. With his leather fringed shirts, white hat, and his horse “Trigger,” he took on the bad boys every Saturday morning. Known as the “singing cowboy,” Roy Rogers experienced the trifecta of success on the big screen, with his own television show, and as a recording artist for both RCA and Capitol Records.
At his peak, his net worth was north of $100 million, and his earnings exceeded a million a year for decades. Every little boy wanted to emulate Roy with their brand-new six-shooters they found under the Christmas tree. These young cowboys were ready to dispel any evil that came near, as they put on their cowboy hat and went out the door. I know these kids could conquer the bad guy because I was one of them.
Welcome to the 21st century, where we are fortunate to have the lessons of Roy Rogers to encourage us to fearlessly embark on noble endeavors. I’m now thinking of a man named Ray Epps, and thousands of his tribe. 60 Minutes just aired a special on Ray and his newly messed up life. You can watch it here.
Ray Epps effectively dug into his closet and found his old cowboy hat and six-shooters and headed for Washington. Somewhere in his garage, he found his old Desert Storm fatigues and his backpack. He traded his Marine helmet in for a red baseball hat so he could clearly be in the club that day. The day he made an emotional decision that changed his life and ours forever.
If you want to see how everyday people are looking to follow other lost sheep into danger, this episode is a clear marker for the lost and confused. But why would anyone do such a thing, only to have massive regret later? Wouldn’t you want to double-check the facts before getting involved in an event that could harm your reputation, land you in jail, and ruin your relationships with family and friends?
Well, apparently, the facts mattered little because one person and a few of his minions influenced so many that the herd was in full swing and moving fast. For a moment, it felt good to be a part of something big–really big. So big, it will be talked about for at least the next century.
This guy Epps and many just like him, were Roy Rogers for a day. They had their uniforms on. They wore their little red hats, the American flag they hid behind, combat uniforms, and some even came with weapons. Listen to what Ray Epps had to say as he described his behavior.
We have to go into the Capitol.
Ray Epps
We have to go into the Capitol!
The day before the insurrection, Epps was yelling, “We have to go into the Capitol. We have to go into the Capitol!” On January 6th he was leading and encouraging, “We are going to the Capitol, where our problems are. It’s that direction.” He said he wanted to be up front, but that was to keep the peace. He “thought” about helping a downed officer but said essentially, “If I do, they’re gonna think I’m a part of this.”
When Bill Whittaker from CBS reminded him, “You were a part of it.” Epps somehow disconnects from the day by saying, “I was there, I wasn’t a part of that.” Just like a teenager explaining to his parents how he got arrested as a minor for being at a party where the cops showed up and arrested several minors in possession. But this was an adult. A Marine. Someone that previously watched one news source and bought into his hero’s rhetoric, not a teenager at a pool party.
He says that during the mayhem, he went from someone bent on going into the Capitol to a sort of peacekeeper. For this, he seems to expect to be overlooked. Kind of like, “I just drove the car to the robbery, but I never went inside the bank.” He may have driven the getaway car, but he and his wife naively state there’s a big difference in him cheering others on, inciting entry into the Capitol, and any act of violence that day. Makes you wonder if this was the same logic they applied when raising their kids? Guilty by association? No kids, don’t worry about that as we don’t believe you’re guilty unless there’s a smoking gun in your hands.
Really, the entire mob of folks, just like Ray Epps, was made up of followers getting caught up in the wrong moment. A few thousand wannabe Roy Rogers, armed with bad information, fighting someone else’s battle to stay in power.
Trumps False Claims
Before that day, Trump claimed there were more than 10,000 dead voters that had voted in Georgia. He claimed there were 205,000 votes cast in Pennsylvania that total more than actual voters. Trump told anyone who would listen that there was a vote “dump” in Michigan which stole the election for Biden. He claimed there had been “tens of thousands” of double votes and fraud in Nevada. He claimed there were more than 30,000 non-citizens that voted in Arizona. Trump claimed with not an ounce of documentation that voting machines in various contested states had switched votes to Biden. Each of these false claims have been articulated in the Special Counsel’s criminal indictment.
In virtually every instance, Republican authorities in every state that he referenced documented that none of his claims were true or had any merit. Republican attorney generals and secretaries of state, as well as the acting AG and assistant AG who he had appointed all told him directly there was no truth and that he had in fact lost the election.
Trump had already proven that his followers weren’t concerned with truth, and he knew it. He could fabricate whatever falsehood he chose, and his band of believers would take it to the bank. Unfortunately, America’s global standing suffered as much or more on January 6th than its honor at home.
Trump’s 21st Century Roy Rogers strapped on their costumes, like so many kids did back in the day and went out to change the world. Unfortunately, they did change things immensely on that day. A pack of lies and undocumented claims from a modern-day wannabe dictator moved this crowd to do the unthinkable.
Trump filed over sixty lawsuits, and one after the other, this litigation was short-lived in the courtroom as there was no basis for the claims. As the lawsuits ran down, and every angle Trump’s clown show could gin up ran its course, there were still those ready to do exactly what he asked of them. Hundreds of these folks are now in jail. Their families became divided and separated by the effects of Trump’s lies. Some, like Ray Epps, have gone into hiding. Our allies are waiting with trepidation to see if he is reelected and prepare for round two under Trump.
Trump Is Running Again
Trump is running again for president, but rarely speaks of a policy issue. He doesn’t speak of our relations with Israel, the EU, South Korea (which he nearly abandoned while in office). He only speaks of a rigged election, and “witch hunts” against him. His cowboys will elect him because he’s their Roy Rogers. But their hero fell off the horse, and has fast become the face of a fraudster. Let’s hope a few more of his tribe will wake up before it’s too late.
Perhaps we should be praying that God would send the next shiny object to move their attention and loyalty elsewhere. Ray Epps said he had to go to Washington because it was “a sloppy election.” Not true. It has become the most scrutinized election in decades. One unhappy former president convinced Epps it was sloppy, so he went to Washington to protest. I wonder if he’d do that again now that he has the facts?
Heroes – they can get their sheep in real trouble! Don’t be that sheep nibbling the foliage on the edge of perdition. It’s a dangerous place to feed. Truth matters. We could all do a better job of fact checking.
