Black swan events have become the new normal in American politics. White swans are increasingly rare.
Over the past ten days, America has witnessed too many abnormal happenings to count: a close-call assassination attempt against the former president and 2024 presidential candidate, Donald Trump, the unfolding of an isolated Iranian plot to kill Trump, and a Republican National Convention, which included several buzzworthy updates, including Trump’s vice-presidential selection, the junior senator from Ohio, bestselling author J.D. Vance. Of course, that would provide any concerned citizen or political junkie enough to mull over for weeks—if not the rest of the year. But then, to top it all off, the sitting president of the United States, Joe Biden, dipped out of the race on Sunday, caving to weeks of pressure from his party not to seek reelection after a poor debate performance at the end of June.
“May you live in interesting times,” they say, and America is precisely in that predicament. If “2020” played out like a gripping political thriller, “2024” has proven to be its even more shocking, over-the-top sequel. Adding to the aforementioned polarizing plot twists, one candidate has been convicted of 34 felony charges, while the other’s son is currently contending with federal tax and gun charges. Meanwhile, our enemies—China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran—are aligning, and the world is at war. Both sides pay lip service to “reuniting” the country, but as long as we remain locked in a zero-sum scrimmage for perfect control, such unity is simply impossible. We grow weaker by the minute.
These are more than just esoteric concerns—they are eschatological crises. Entire empires are unmade in moments like these. The centuries-long American experiment may be on the brink of insolvency in our lifetime. Sadly, we are no longer rooted and built up in the Constitution, the Bible, or the timeless truths and standards upon which we were founded.
Instead, we perform a dangerous balancing act on a tinderbox of politically infused animosity and irreconciliation. At this critical juncture, a single spark may be all it takes to plunge this nation into the Dark Ages.
We must now humbly acknowledge we do not know what the future looks like. We are utterly clueless as to what will happen on Election Day. We do not even know what will happen tomorrow, let alone three months from now. These are the times that perplex men’s souls—times that leave us scratching our heads, baffled that such hostility to truth and the American way ever entered our country—and they will quickly drive us insane.
Needless to say, insane people do insane things, thereby perpetuating the problem. On both sides of the aisle, we exchange reason for madness, faith in the righteousness of our cause and the God under whom this nation bows for hopelessness and despair.
I do not mean to be pessimistic. But when chaos envelops us, we would be wise to take a long, hard look at ourselves. “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3). At this point, it does not take a prudent man to see the evil—it surrounds us. Unmasked. Unashamed.
But what will we do about it? Will we act wisely, prudently, to purge the darkness? Or will we naively, credulously, march straight into the trap prepared for us?
Everywhere I look, I see Americans losing their moral clarity, their conviction in the goodness and justness of anything worth fighting for. We, in many ways, embrace the devices of our destruction.
Yet, there remain those who wholeheartedly believe in America, our timeless creed, and the God of our fathers. This steadfast remnant of the faithful includes men like Michael Arnold, Convention of States Regional Director, who responded to news of the Trump shooting by calling for a 72-hour fast. Speaking of black swan events—willingly depriving oneself of food for three days is not exactly “normal.” It certainly isn’t easy. But it shows just how committed many people of faith are to preserving our nation.
These are the times that perplex men’s souls. These are the times that tempt us to despair. But, as a person of faith, I know Who sits on the throne, and He has never once felt perplexed. Moreover, I know that millions of Americans still want what’s best for America, fighting daily for her future—on their knees, in state capitals, and small-town churches across America. Why hasn’t the Almighty destroyed us yet? Largely, I believe, because of His abundant mercy toward those who earnestly seek Him.
Black swan season is upon us, and the window of light at the end of our tunnel has narrowed, but with God and fellow patriots by my side, my resolve to fight for the future of this country has never been stronger.
