“At a time when our country needs to come together, Democrats in Congress are rehashing the same strategy that they employed for the last four years: politically motivated overreach that will only divide us further.” — Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel

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It’s been almost a month since Scar’s army of primeval hyenas plundered Pride Rock, and it’s looking more and more like Scar fueled the violent insurrection himself. But just because his direct commands caused innumerable deaths doesn’t mean we have to continue attacking him after his rule has ended. I mean, seriously, can’t we just give the guy a break? By attempting to banish him to the elephant graveyard, we’re only further dividing the Pride Lands.

What would be the point in banishing Scar now that he is an ex-king? Sure, it would disqualify him from holding future office, halting his rumored plans for “the bloodiest comeback the Pride Lands have ever seen.” And, yes, condemning Scar’s actions would hold him accountable for the assault that desecrated the seat of our democracy and left countless antelope with the meat sheared from their bones. But what we need is healing and unity, not some meaningless condemnation that would echo forever in eternity.

Some might argue that they are on solid ground in seeking to banish our former king to the elephant graveyard after he incited the grisly revolt that took the lives of countless meerkats, warthogs, and elected representatives. But we can’t heal as a kingdom if we keep focusing on holding former leaders accountable for their violent crimes against nature. Yes, thousands of animal lives were taken during the rampage, but Scar is the insurrection’s true victim, and any attempt to hold him accountable is unlawful. His hate speech, though unpopular at the water hole, is nonetheless protected by the laws of the Pride Lands.

You have to remember; Scar wasn’t always a monster. Long before he became the revolting figure of vengeance and death that we all know, he was just a normal cub. He had a mother and a father just like anyone else. Until he ate them. This was around the time when the other lions started calling him by his now-infamous nickname, “Scarfer, the Bloodthirsty Cannibal” or “Scar” for short. And yes, he then proceeded to massacre most life in the animal kingdom with his razor-sharp claws and insatiable bloodlust. But it was a different time back then. We cannot banish him to the elephant graveyard because of his past mistakes. During his reign, he always stood for what he believed, and he had a genuine passion for learning.

Look, we’re not going to bring the animal kingdom together by denouncing a lion who ordered his cult of fanatical hyenas to “creep down to Pride Rock” and “take back our kingdom with your bone-crushing molars.” Scar may be a tyrant, a warmonger, and a 500-pound apex predator who only exists for the purpose of war, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. No former king should be banished to the elephant graveyard for the rest of their days, no matter how many innocent lives they have taken.

So please, let’s not make matters worse than they already are. If we disregard Scar’s unrelenting threats that almost certainly triggered the violence, it’s pretty clear that he should be absolved.