A peaceful, orderly America after next week’s election will easily be one of America’s greatest achievements ever, if not the world’s. Because we are arguably the most powerful, respected, and envied nation the world has ever known, any uncertainty, possibly requiring military or (illegal) militia intervention, would shake the foundation of the world — so dependent as it is upon the stabilizing role we play, with our awesome potential to bring closer to reality the dream of a greater and better world.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden should unceasingly invite one another to state publicly his absolute support of the official, final outcome of our presidential election with no ‘ifs,’ ‘ands,’ or ‘buts.’ The one who refuses should not be our president.

Let’s not forget the Civil War. The desire to own slaves among part of our countrymen caused families to stab and shoot each other to death. Almost a million Americans, mostly poor whites on both sides, died in violent ways for the few rich, in spite of Abraham Lincoln’s mighty efforts to find compromises to keep the Union together.

The ideological makeup of the Supreme Court and the incredible loyalty of Republican Senators lend Trump powerful legal allies. And as Commander-in-Chief, he can, in a second, order the most powerful military in the history of humankind to wipe any city off the face of the earth with a nuclear bomb.

Recently militiamen showed up at a Michigan Statehouse, fully armed and protesting, which they had every right to do. Trump responded by explaining to the world why these men were so upset with their governor for shutting down some businesses. Subsequently, almost ten men have been charged with planning to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer and her loved ones, probably to execute them, apparently signaling their dissatisfaction with her policies.

Trump had nothing to do with any of this. But there are enough militiamen who stand so fervently with Trump that they could throw our country into another civil war. In light of this, Trump and Biden must make it clear to us all that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of nonviolence will be the only way to protest — especially during this presidential election.

But even if Trump does pledge to step down gracefully and respectfully, here are specific reasons why he should not remain our president:

1. The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) will be abolished and millions will have no insurance.

2. Roe v. Wade may be overturned, thereby banning legal abortions — i.e. the government will control women’s bodies.

3. Trump does not celebrate and support LGBTQ as we all must.

4. COVID-19: Trump will continue to pursue herd immunity, leaving millions to die alone and in pain.

5. Soon 230,000 Americans will have died because of the pandemic, a toll that could rise to a million. Trump admitted that he did not think Americans could handle the truth regarding the pandemic, so he told us a lie and this is the result.

6. Though Obama and Biden inherited the worst economy since the Great Depression, their administration’s final three years were easily as economically strong as Trump’s first three.

7. Trump labeled Mexicans rapists and murderers, and his administration separated immigrant children from their parents.

8. Trump said he could tamper with the 14th Amendment, which, some generations from now,  could “cleanse” America of all blacks, by stripping them of their citizenship rights.

9. Trump opposes Affirmative Action, which even Nixon supported.

10. Trump advocates “loot, shoot,” not “loot, go to prison.”

11. Trump did his best to devalue our first and only black president by making him out to be a Kenyan national.

12. The President lobbied for the execution of five black and Latino men, the “Central Park 5.” The world now knows they were innocent, but Trump won’t offer an apology.

13. The President does not support Black Lives Matter and will continue to stir things up, keeping the nation divided and risking more police injury and death. America needs a healer, conciliator, and promoter of unity and strength through compassion and tranquility.