Be Still My Heart
Jan. 6th & Class Reunions
High School Reunions are fun! But this year, something happened that fell into the "Be still my heart" category.
At a class reunion before Jan. 6th, a classmate greeted me, “You’re the Democrat?" I proudly answered, "Yes, I am." End of conversation.
This time, again for class reunion, I returned to my hometown—Atlantic, Iowa—for class reunion. The same classmate approached me, asking, "Are you still a Democrat?"
I replied, semi-joking about a “not a laughing matter” issue: "YES! Some of us must stay in Washington to ensure no one attacks the Capitol again."
My classmate answered, "Ahhh. That Jan. 6th was nothing."
I replied, this time with steel in my voice, "Excuse me! Jan. 6th was not "‘nothing.’ I live five blocks from the U.S. Capitol. I saw the damage--broken windows, doors, deserted weapons, debris all over. I saw the gallows built to hang Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Pence.
“I have friends who work in the Capitol. They had to protect their Members. They shoved desks in front of doors and hid with their Members in closets. Jan. 6th was a serious attack. Jan. 6th was a serious attack. Police were killed."
Silence.
My classmate did not respond. What I wanted to do was somehow, grab the Jan. 6th video out of the air, and show him that the Jan. 6th assault on the Capitol was not “nothing.”
Meanwhile, then President Trump sat in his office, and said things like, “So what?” When he was told his own Vice President Pence was in physical danger, Trump said, “So what. “ The attackers had Pence cornered in a garage for awhile; the gallows were waiting.
Let me think. Jan. 6th. Gallows. Mob violence. Police killed. Gallant Capitol Hill police and District of Columbia police need reinforcements desperately.
Fun? I guess not. Class reunion fun? I guess not. Not a picnic, not an ordinary constituency meeting. Just plain truth: an attack on our democratic government.
Truth?
How many times have we heard Members of Congress—Republican Members of Congress—say “Jan. 6th was nothing,” “Jan. 6th was just a routine constituency visit,” “Just a picnic,” and more. Or maybe they just turned their cheeks, changing the subject, or like too-cowardly-to-admit the truth” OH Republican VP Candidate JD Vance, “I am focused on the future.”
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), once he encouraged the attackers, hid in a closet.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), once he gave thumbs up to the attackers, ran and hid in the Capitol, too.
No truth in the above. Is this who you want to represent you? Trump, Vance, Cruz, Hawley, and more Republicans in denial?
It took 500 members of the Maryland National Guard and 200 state troopers plus Baltimore County and Baltimore City officers assisting, to get the attacking mob under control. They were trying to overthrow our government.
I wonder. How will we as a country describe ourselves if people like Trump can say, “So what,” about the vicious attack on our U.S. Capitol—the most important symbol of our democracy.
We can’t say we’re a democracy when the mob was trying to take over. How does “rule by mob sound?”
How would you describe us?
No, we can’t say we’re a country where freedom rings.
No, we can’t say we’re a free country that allows its citizens to cast their votes for their favorite candidates and expect those votes to be counted fairly.
When we cast our votes this election season, give yourself a refresher course on democracy. Make sure your classmates understand that “rule by mob” is a step toward fascism.
Maeve Reston, The Washington Post: Harris calls out Trump for ‘gaslighting’ Americans about Jan. 6 attack.
See the VIDEO when you click above: "Vice President Kamala Harris blasted former president Donald Trump, saying Americans are “exhausted with his gaslighting,” during her Oct. 17 Wisconsin rally. " (Video: The Washington Post, Photo: Tim Evans/The Washington Post)