Attack on US Capitol and America’s Future
The day after submitting my previous article which dealt with COVID and people’s behavior in that regard, our US Capitol was attacked making the human behavior about which I’d just written pale in comparison. On January 6, 2021, our U.S. Capitol was stormed by “children.” I’m sure some readers will question my use of that term but that’s how I saw it. They are children: selfish, bratty, egotistical, and hate-filled children. They are children whose adopted-parent Trump has failed to teach them how to behave as responsible adults because he himself is not one.
During my seventy-three years on this Earth, I have voted in many elections and my candidates have often lost. Never, never, following any of those elections would I have even thought of conducting myself the way these people did! While watching them I thought about the people who followed Jim Jones in 1975 to their deaths – led by a leader whose only real concerns were for himself, just as our outgoing President Trump’s concerns are only for himself. Trump’s people were and apparently still are being led down a path to their own destruction. The sad thing is that there are so many of them. After the event, I wondered how people can be filled with so much hate.
And these are the same people who talk about states’ rights. Yet they were in D.C. to challenge decisions made and certified by states. They were there telling states, “You have no right.” Apparently, only Trump and his supporters have any “right.”
The sad thing is that there was no plan on the part of those who could have prevented it, and there was every indication that an event such as this insurrection, given what we had seen all year and particularly leading up to and after the election, would occur. Although the perpetrators and Trump are to blame, I also place blame on the officials who were supposed to prepare for such an event and politicians who should have made sure that happened. When children with guns are coming to D.C., make a plan!! Or, perhaps they wanted it to play out as it did, which makes it even worse. It’s been reported that there was a minimally visible presence by law enforcement “to avoid inflaming tensions.” So much for that idea.
Was a conservative, policy agenda worth it? Was packing the Supreme Court to try and overturn Roe v. Wade and more worth it? It doesn’t seem so if our country is going to be ripped apart in the process but then I’m not of the mindset that apparently fills the ranks of Trump’s supporters. Perhaps they really are willing to rip this nation apart. Perhaps those inclined to do this think that they will rebuild a better nation, but from what we saw on January 6 it certainly doesn’t look that way.
The leaders who over two hundred years ago led this great nation into the fight for independence were intelligent, thoughtful men who had a real vision for America’s future. These people—Trump’s puppets—have only a lame, ignorant leader whom they follow obediently, and he has no grand plan or vision other than his own well-being. Oh, he was “with them” that day as he promised—sitting in his office watching it on TV. Such a leader!
Perhaps (probably?) many of those involved in the January 6 insurrection will go home and revel in stories to family and friends about what they did, how patriotic they were, failing to realize how truly despicable their actions were. Perhaps with age and wisdom it will all become clear but for many it will remain their one day of glory, sadly.
President Trump pledged to end American carnage when he was sworn in four years ago. Instead, it appears he may instigate carnage in America such as we have not seen in over two hundred years. Forget about the Mexican cartels he said he’d keep off our streets. They are nothing compared to what he’s bred through his ignorant rhetoric filled with inflammatory lies. So much for law, order, and the Constitution. God bless America and may her future endure what President Trump has wrought.
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There are 3 sides to a coin if you count the edge. See my comment to Ed’s recent article. I guess the Democrats are all Angels and Republicans are all demonic. No inbetween? Stick to that line of black & white thinking and America will cease to exist. The riot (see definition of insurgency) at the Capital was egregious and horrific but let’ us not lose sight of what lead up to this epiphany of chaos. Our government is broken. Our Country is divided, and as I have said in previous comments over the last few months we are on the brink of civil war. Yep. Hard to believe. Well this event sadly proved my case. I respect your opinion but truly feel it is an emotional response rather than substantial analysis. It is an opinion but does it help resolve the great divide or divide us more. Ed’s article not so much. But hey – just my opinion and we can agree to disagree. I feel your pain, but I also feel everybody else’s pain. Then I shrug it off and listen to Steely Dan.
If no Steely Dan available I default to Tom Petty … : )
I am Free… and America is free falling. Sadly next week Covid hits the fan based on 3 week rule. Let’s hope Utah medical heroes hold the line. Godspeed.
I respect and appreciate the comments left about my article and admit that my position has some emotional basis. However, given what I saw on 1/6 on the faces and through the actions of the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol there is no lack of emotion on this issue and some emotion is obviously more damaging than the emotion of others. I, too, feel the pain of others whose candidate has officially lost the November election, but as noted in my piece, my candidates in the past have also lost. The difference? Supporters of those losing candidates conducted themselves properly for the good of this nation. Peaceful transfer of power is what’s needed so we can work on problems facing this nation in a sensible way for the good of all. By the say, I, too, am a Steely Dan fan!
Ms. Rutherford: So you were in Washington, D.C. at the Capitol when it was stormed? I would find that impossible to believe. What you saw, then, “on the faces and through the actions of the mob”, was video provided by whatever news outlet you watch.
What children with guns? Only one person was shot. She was shot by a law enforcement officer.
Did you watch the second impeachment trial? I hope so. There was some excellent video presented.
Are you aware of what went on all last summer? You know – the peaceful protests that destroyed lives, businesses, and entire neighborhoods? Do you know any of these names?
David Dorn
Chris Beaty
Italia Marie Kelly
Patrick Underwood
Bernell Trammell
They are all black Americans killed by their fellow Americans last summer during the peaceful protests.
G Lea, I stand by what I wrote. I was watching the live coverage of the vote certification on CSPAN when the insurrection started and continued to watch that live. So, I was there virtually. I was not depending on a news outlet to feed me info “after the fact” but did watch news for days after and the trial. You have your take on the events of 1/6. I know what I watched, saw and believe. As for the guns, we do not know how they would have been used had the members of Congress whom the Capitol’s violators were seeking had been found. Given what I heard I can imagine.
I do not condone violence in any form including the violence that you’ve noted during the summer of 2020.
Please feel free to write about the events for the SUIndependent as I have. That’s your right as a citizen of this great country.
I get it. You don’t want to discuss anything that presents an alternate point of view. But I’m going to discuss it anyway.
About those guns. Did you see anyone brandishing guns? I didn’t. If you didn’t either, then how do you know anyone had guns? Because someone told you they did?
Many people were filming – not just CSPAN. Do you know who John Earle Sullivan is? Did you see his film of the events that day? His entire film? John Earle Sullivan is well known to the FBI because of his involvement in organizing the Provo, UT peaceful protest of June 29, 2020 during which a citizen was shot. He was at the Capitol on January 6th doing what he is paid to do: incite the crowd. Here’s a link to that story:
https://nypost.com/2021/02/17/accused-capitol-rioter-john-sullivan-sold-footage-for-35k-to-nbc-cnn/
Do you think he was the only one? He has been arrested and charged in the January 6th breach of the US Capitol. He’s well known to the FBI. Here’s a link to the complaint made by the FBI. This is the official DoJ filing:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/page/file/1354781/download
You wrote: “And these are the same people who talk about states’ rights. Yet they were in D.C. to challenge decisions made and certified by states. They were there telling states, “You have no right.” Apparently, only Trump and his supporters have any “right.”
Exactly what right was in question. Do you know? Do you know that election laws were changed in several states without those changes having been enacted by the legislatures of those states as those states themselves require? The people who illegally changed those laws got caught. People spoke up. Loudly. That’s what we do in America. THAT is our right, our duty, and our responsibility as citizens. There is a constitutional provision covering such a thing. I think it’s called the First Amendment. We didn’t riot, loot, burn, murder, and desecrate. Those people spoke up and asked to have their voices heard. From that point on the constitution kicked in.
The Trump voters (and others of all political persuasions who were concerned about fair elections) fully supported the objections that were made regarding the election, and they fully supported the constitutional process that was occurring with the counts being read, the objections being voiced, and discussions ensuing.
But that didn’t happen, did it. Instead the entire constitutional process was allowed to be aborted. Those who were concerned about fair elections, and the constitutional means by which they should have been able to voice their concerns to the government, were never heard.
So, I ask you, who benefited from the Capitol breach which resulted in our constitutional processes being aborted and our voices being silenced in a cacophony of threats and name calling? Who? Certainly not Trump. Certainly not Trump voters or any and all others who are concerned about fair elections and being able to “petition the government for a redress of grievances.”.
There were tens of thousands of people in D.C. that day. I understand around 200 have been arrested in connection with the Capitol breach. Whether they were professional insurrectionists like John Earle Sullivan, or whether they were misguided Trump supporters, all of them should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
As you know, former President Trump was acquitted of inciting the insurrection. That has not stopped the threats or the name calling toward Trump voters.
You wrote: “. . . I wondered how people can be filled with so much hate.” On this we agree completely.
I wish you well too, Lisa. I hope someday we all will know the truth. As it stands now, you know that all Trump supporters are hateful insurrectionists and Trump supporters know you are being lied to.
G Lea, I certainly hope that someday we all will know the truth but not holding my breath. Let me be clear to you and others. Unlike you who seem sure that I’m being lied to, I do not know that all Trump supporters are hateful insurrectionists. I have several family members and friends who are Trump supporters and I would not classify them that way. They are not insurrectionists nor would they have conducted themselves as was witnessed on 1/6. Best to you.