Attacks on democracy happen when people don’t speak out against tyranny

THE assault on the US Capitol building (News, January 7) seems to have drawn condemnation from around the world.

Many people are expressing incredulity, especially those in the Republican Party, who keep insisting “this is not who we are”.

I beg to differ: this is exactly who you are.

For four years, the Republican Party have stood back and remained silent while Donald J Trump rode roughshod over the constitution and the norms of governance. They said nothing when he got friendly with despots. They said nothing when he made statements encouraging white supremacy groups (the “fine people”). They said nothing when he attacked anyone who disagreed with him. They didn’t say a word when he used playground insults against his political opponents. Not to mention that they did nothing to correct his lies.

And then a few of them decided to ride along with Trump when he claimed that the November 2020 election was “stolen”. And this is where the United States is now. Armed protesters taking over the Capitol building, while the president tells them that he loves them.

So, what can we learn from the events of the past four years?

Hopefully, that our politicians and representatives, wherever they are in the world, can have the courage to stand up and declare that something is not right, instead of fearing for their own political careers; that leaders of countries can refuse to offer state honours to people such as Trump.

The fact that no leader in the Western world had the courage to stand up and state that Trump was not someone they wanted to do business with is truly sad. While I appreciate the argument that the president is just a person and it’s the US we are dealing with, look at what has happened. Look where the enabling of Donald Trump has led the US.

Be in no doubt: if Trump could get enough people behind him and support his mission, he would stay in power. That is how fragile US democracy is.

That’s why we have to start speaking up when something is not right. KAREN BRITTAIN By email