Some will say that when you hit rock bottom, there is only one way to go: up. But what happens when you can’t sink any lower and still stay stuck? In the context of mental health and addiction, “hitting rock bottom” describes a devastating moment in life when an individual feels completely out of control or hopeless. However, counselors and experts often note that this point is unique to the individual because it can serve as a powerful turning point toward seeking help and beginning recovery.
Politics can follow the same pattern. Rock bottom in the political world can be the worst possible point an elected official or political party can reach in terms of public approval, ethical standards, effectiveness or morale. It occurs when institutional norms and behavior erode. When the norms and political behavior of the executive branch of our government sink to levels considered crude, corrupt and dysfunctional, we have hit rock bottom as a nation. It started in the White House and has extended to the Pentagon.
Dozens of retired American military leaders have demanded that U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth end his “barbaric” plan to livestream the execution of a convicted mass murderer. The public stand by 72 former senior officers — including generals, admirals and military lawyers — comes amid growing outrage over the defense secretary’s decision to broadcast the killing of former Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan by firing squad. Hasan was convicted in 2013 of fatally shooting 13 people and attempting to murder 32 others during his 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas.
In an open letter, the veterans warn that using Hasan’s execution as a public spectacle would violate fundamental principles of human dignity, disgrace the military and potentially put the lives of U.S. service personnel in jeopardy. The officers point out that Army regulations strictly limit who can witness executions, ban children from attending and prohibit journalists from conducting interviews at the execution site.
They argue that opening the killing to a global audience would undermine the dignity and solemnity the Army rules are designed to preserve. It would also, they argue, hand extremists a powerful propaganda weapon that could turn the convicted killer into a martyr and potentially lead to further attacks on American citizens. “This type of exploitative broadcasting — that debases human dignity — will taint the honor of the military that employs it, and a nation that allows it. It will be used by our nation’s enemies to stoke hatred, harm American soldiers and citizens in the future, and will ensure that Hasan becomes a martyr for attacking and killing his fellow soldiers,” the letter reads.
The officers called on President Donald Trump and Congress — as well as everyday Americans — to speak up and stop what they see as an abuse of government authority. “As retired General and Flag Officers, Judge Advocate officers, and others with decades of military justice experience, we ask the President, our Congressional representatives, and our fellow citizens to act to prevent this barbaric abuse of authority: Livestreaming an execution debases the values, principles, and commitment to basic human dignity of our military and our nation. The public need not witness Hasan’s execution to understand the consequences of his serious crime,” they wrote.
I applaud the retired military brass for not remaining silent and for encouraging Congress and the general public to take a stand in what can easily be described as a low moment in contemporary politics. When an individual hits rock bottom in their personal life or business, that low point can serve as a wake-up call and the moment when they decide to rebuild, reorganize, rebrand and reform. It can be the turning point for a new beginning. The military brass has challenged Americans to act. No matter how scandal-ridden, polarizing or manipulative this executive branch may be, it will not be in office forever.
But can our nation reach a true and effective turning point and begin the road to political recovery if the next president comes from the current administration? Can a true recovery occur if the next occupant of the White House was a Trump enabler? Can America regain respect and its standing as a world leader if the next commander in chief endorsed Hasan’s proposed public execution?
People are starting to wake up ahead of this year’s midterm elections, but will they stay awake for the next presidential election in 2028? Following intense pushback from military officials, faith leaders and Republican and Democratic politicians, Trump reversed course on the proposed public broadcast and announced that Hasan’s execution would not be livestreamed. He still defended the idea of a public spectacle as a “strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with terrorists and SCUM,” but acknowledged that “many very good and well-meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device,” Trump shared on social media.
If the Hasan case doesn’t keep voters engaged and motivated for the long term, the economy and the Iran war should. A true bounce back from rock bottom means taking the House, Senate and presidency away from the party of Trump for multiple election cycles in the foreseeable future. Republican loyalty is not just to Trump, but to Trumpism. Republican candidates are looking at the polls, and they have every right to be worried.
As a result, the rhetoric is changing. Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers is calling for an end to Trump’s trade war with Canada. Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar has criticized the administration’s immigration crackdown. Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson wants the Iran war to end. These comments may be self-serving statements by Republican candidates who sense political trouble ahead. Unless they show the moral conviction of the 72 retired officers, candidates such as Rogers, Salazar and Hinson are merely obstacles to America’s true, long-term recovery.
Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization TRB: The Reconciled Body and author of the book “God Bless Our Divided America.”
