Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
By Chido Nwangwu. Follow on X (Twitter) @Chido247
This weekend of June 15-16, 2024 is Father’s Day in America. It is a day/weekend which underscores the importance of the roles and obligations of Fathers to their families. And, only a few days ago, the multiple roles of fatherhood came back into the main arena of American lives. This follows the news of the conviction of Hunter Biden by a federal jury on federal gun charges. They include lying on a federal screening form about his drug use, giving false, misleading information to the gun dealer and unlawful possession of the same gun.
It was a difficult and notorious first conviction for the son/daughter of a sitting U.S President.
President Joe Biden’s son faces up to 25 years in prison for three charges. It is expected to be far less, and could be appealed by Hunter.
Like the man of compassion and care that we have all witnessed these years, rather than sow condemnation, Joe Biden offered Hunter valuable encouragement. He said “So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery.”
Biden said of the troubled and complicated Hunter, after the verdict.
“As I said last week, I am the President, but I am also a Dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today.”
Four years ago, during a 2020 debate, Joe Biden said, in a manner as would several concerned fathers:“Like a lot of people we know at home, [Hunter] had a drug problem..” He took on those who attacked Hunter but stating that “He’s worked on it. And I’m proud of him. I’m proud of my son.”
Those words have value and meaning. They contrast in acute contrast about the two men who are going to battle again, all things being equal, in November 2024.
Playing Hunter Biden addiction problem as a political football diminishes in the minds of realistic, compassionate Republicans and the fair-minded public former President Donald Trump’s infantile yelling, his crocodile tears and condemnations of Hunter.
Also, his claim about being targetted because he’s Trump, because he’s Republican and because he’s “rich” melt into absurdities!
The unfolding reality is that Trump’s self-flagellating antics, tirades of malice and false claims are increasingly seen outside the basements of the MAGA-groups as loathsome reminders of the fantastic, fictive creations of a dubious and divisive marketing genius (Trump) who hijacked the soul of Abraham Lincoln’s Grand Ol’ Party (GOP).
Many who have watched and followed Trump’s recent trial have since seen the exposition of the “money games” Trump played all these years. Trump built and operated molehills of deception and mountains of felonious manipulations!
Already, those who were screaming as allies of Trump are rethinking the-prosecute-and-jail-HunterBiden-now-brigade. You would have unter Biden’s legal woes with a critical eye are likewise champions for gun rights, prompting some to question the nature of the conviction. For example, Rep. Thomas Massie (a pro-gun rights Republican Congressman from Kentucky) wrote on the social media platform X that “Hunter might deserve to be in jail for something, but purchasing a gun is not it….There are millions of marijuana users who own guns in this country, and none of them should be in jail for purchasing or possessing a firearm against current laws.”
On its part, the National Association for Gun Rights group thundered that “These gun control laws should not exist. This should be a wakeup call for the entire Republican Party and GOP lawmaker to stop abandoning the Second Amendment.”
Like I have stated here previously, Hunter Biden has been a controversial figure. His actions and decisions have thrown one more explosive item into the ideological arena and political theater of American politics. He’s a lawyer who had worked as a lobbyist and consultant to foreign companies, reportedly in Ukraine and China. Hunter is the surving son of the Bidens. Joe’s other son, Beau Biden, died in 2015 of cancer.
It is important to note that the investigation into Hunter’s issues was led by David Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware appointed by then President Donald Trump.
Without a doubt, a measure of partisan confrontation and grandstanding will continue to be made from now until the votes are finally cast in November 2024 to elect the next President of the United States. Only a few weeks ago, Trump was found guilty of felonious crimes. His sentencing is coming up, soon.
•Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the forthcoming 2024 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity., is Founder of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, and established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston.He has appeared as an analyst on CNN, ALJazeera, SKYnews, and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houston’s former Mayor Lee Brown. Follow him on Twitter @Chido247
