January 6
Speak up, speak out, share the facts, calmly and compassionately, and stay resolute that no one shall ever be given the power to destroy our democracy again.
I write this on the morning of January 6, 2024, remembering three years ago. I’d been involved in a lovely video chat with a friend in another country, in the middle of a work day, not paying much attention to the news. My friend asked, worriedly, what was going on in Washington D.C. At that point I thought it was still a demonstration of some kind. Then I had a work call, and my colleague asked what I thought of the events unfolding, so I pulled up the news on my screen.
That visual of people swarming up and over walls, breaking windows, lifting up others to join them, wearing tactical gear as if they knew they would be in a battle for their lives, is deeply haunting. As we learned more and more, as events unfolded - pipe bomb threats to distract law enforcement, brutal attacks on Capitol police, emergency evacuations of lawmakers, guns drawn, shots fired - the horrific sense of watching history unfold, uncertain of how it would resolve, was overwhelming.
If I could have done anything, anything peaceful, to stop the violence and destruction, to turn the hate and fear into calm and compassion, to protect the innocent caught up in the attack, I hope and pray I would have done so.
Our president at the time took a different view. He watched, waiting, it seems, to see who would “win” before taking action to stop the violence.
Whether or not you believe the massive evidence that he incited the violence, stoked the intention for insurrection with lies and corrupt acts, worked to overturn the legitimate results of the people’s vote, you must agree that failing to even try to halt the vicious attack on people in that building singularly disqualifies him from ever earning our votes to lead us again.
Speak up, speak out, share the facts, calmly and compassionately, and stay resolute that he and his co-conspirators shall not ever be given the power to destroy our democracy again.
Be safe and well.
For more information about the massive disinformation campaign that is swaying too many voters:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/06/trump-jan-6-rewrite-presidential-election/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/01/05/jan6-trump-insurrection-2024-election/