The difference between cowardice and courage | In Focus

Published 1:00 pm Wednesday, July 22, 2026

How are cowardice and courage similar?

To start with, both words begin with co. Both words involve fear. Courage acknowledges the fear and continues on in spite of it.

Cowardice succumbs to the fear and offers no resistance. Courage seems to be in short supply when dealing with national politics.

Examples of cowardice:

The current administration, and the Republicans in Congress, present the most egregious examples. Republicans in general march in “ lock step” with whatever Trump wants. They do not say “no” to him. They are cowards.

Jay Clayton, in his recent Senate hearing to become Director of National Intelligence, humiliated himself by refusing to acknowledge under oath that Trump had lost the 2020 election, knowing full well that answering truthfully would gain him disfavor with the President. In this administration loyalty to a man trumps honesty and integrity. That’s cowardice.

Acting AG Todd Blanche, in his hearing to become permanent AG, dodged questions about releasing the Epstein files, ending the $1.776 billion anti-weaponization agreement, and accusations that he was working for Trump and not the people. He is, even as he let slip, Trump’s lawyer.

The major legacy media outlets like ABC and CBS paid millions of dollars to President Trump when he got mad at interviews that made him look bad. ABC paid Trump $15 million to end their dispute in an act of appeasement to a bully.

Trump sued CBS’ 60 Minutes for an interview with presidential candidate Kamala Harris claiming the news show edited the interview to make Harris look better. CBS, fearful of losing the ability to merge with another company, paid $16 million to end the dispute. This is in spite of the fact that all media have the right to edit what it wants and provide any view, whether true or false, under the First Amendment.

Examples of courage:

Comedians Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel were cancelled for their speaking truth to power. ABC backed down to public pressure in Kimmel’s case. 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelly was fired for being outspoken about the change in CBS News leadership. Other 60 Minutes correspondents were fired in retaliation for actions including political bias or anti-Trump comments in a report about CECOT, the El Salvadoran prison where deported immigrants were sent. 60 Minutes used to be a highly watched show known for truthful reporting.

Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky showed courage when he successfully garnered support to make the Epstein Files public, getting near unanimous Congressional support for their release. He paid for his courage by being primaried by a Trump-endorsed supporter and losing re-election.

James Talarico, running for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas, has shown courage by presenting an alternative, more grace-filled Christianity that directly runs counter to the Christian nationalism of the religious right. Now, he is being accused of being a vegan and not manly enough for Texas voters. His calm, articulate, and reasonable replies and his charges of corruption against his opponent, Ken Paxton, in the face of such criticism require a great deal of courage.

Further examples of courage in politics: Minnesotans protesting ICE in the cold wintertime and taking care of neighbor immigrants, “No Kings” rallies across the nation with millions of participating states’ attorneys general refusing to turn over voter rolls, Trump-appointed federal judges striking down voter rolls demands as unconstitutional .

Recently, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin “warned that state officials could lose funding or face investigations [even prison] if they fail to go along with President Donald Trump’s election security demands, part of the Republican president’s longstanding attempt to undermine Americans’ confidence in the vote…” (apnews.com). Those who are willing to go against the President in these demands that threaten our elections show courage, and Mullin is a coward for supporting Trump’s outrageous plans.

Midterm elections are fast approaching. Trump is desperate to win the midterms, ironically, by rigging them. How far he will go is to TBD. Republicans are trying to deprive people of the power to vote through chicanery, threats, and intimidation. Are you going to vote in spite of intimidation? Are you going to inform yourself as to what’s really going on?

That’s courage.

Richard Elfers is a columnist, a former Enumclaw City Council member and a Green River College professor.