Capitol should stand as a symbol of unity
The awe-inspiring and majestic
U.S. Capitol building is the closest thing we have to a concrete manifestation of American democracy. As a native Floridian who has worked inside and around the Capitol for the better part of 25 years, I feel tremendous emotions when it is looted like a corner liquor store. What does it say about our grand American experiment when so many fellow Americans are ready to burn down its cathedral?
Among our three branches of government, James Madison tells us in Federalist Paper No. 51 that Congress is first among equals. Perhaps that is why the Capitol holds the high ground in Washington, literally. Inside, power changes hands regularly. The minority is always nipping at the heels of the majority. When one side gets too full of itself, too flush with authority, it is unceremoniously smacked down by a scrappy minority party.
At once both a living museum and a working office building, the Capitol has hosted not just presidents like Jefferson and Lincoln, but national heroes and world leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, Douglas MacArthur, Queen Elizabeth II, Neil Armstrong, and Pope Francis. The Capitol remains ground zero for national debates over war and peace, civil rights, social welfare and taxation, conservation and the environment. If you believe there is an American story, an American identity that unites this sprawling, diverse nation, the Capitol lies at its center.
While some call the Capitol the People’s House, it is not a particularly warm and inviting edifice. With vaulted ceilings, marble floors, Gothic lighting and elaborate murals, the building seems well aware of its own exalted stature. Visitors and staff do not linger in the hallways engaging in casual conversation. When walking in the stately corridors as a Senate aide, I made a point of always talking in a soft voice — the gravity and seriousness of the building demanded nothing less.
Similarly, when sitting on the backbench of the Senate with fellow legislative staffers, I would strain to whisper, if I spoke at all. I was no outlier in my reverence. Colleagues, whether they were liberal or conservative, understood we were blessed to be bit players in the making of law and direct witnesses in the unfolding of history.
Not surprisingly, therefore, I had a very personal, visceral reaction to the events of Jan. 6.
It was jarring and disorienting to watch rioters vandalize hallowed ground. Watching fools ransack the Senate and House felt as implausible and surreal as a science fiction movie. If the Capitol lies at the center of our American identity, what does it say when a rabid domestic mob, incited by our own president, lays waste to the building? Do the 74 million people who voted for the president, or the 40 percent of Americans who apparently believe the election was “rigged,” share the mob’s disdain for the Capitol and what it represents? Shocked Americans, like myself, are rightfully demanding justice and accountability at all levels, from the president down.
As distressing as all this is, however, the “fix” is not to mock, make fun of, or summarily dismiss the larger pro-Trump electorate. We should never ignore or whitewash racism and xenophobia. But the story does not end there. At its heart, the populist Trump movement is motivated by deep-seated resentment against those they view as arrogant elites. Trump supporters believe they have been mistreated, ridiculed and poorly served by an establishment and ruling class that has left them behind as the wealth and education gap widens. Mocking them on social media and cable television, or painting them into a corner, simply reinforces their worldview.
The rioting was a direct hit to our central organs and should be a wake-up call. We all have grievances with our elected leaders, but today, the imperative is to save our core institutions from imploding. What does it mean to be an American, if not respect for the Capitol and everything it represents?
Our various factions and blocs are quick to highlight our real and meaningful differences. But what can we all agree on?
Surely, there is some thread of American identity that unites the far Left and far Right. Without minimizing our differences, we must articulate and double down on the common denominator that bands us together. We must get to work on repairing the fabric and strengthening our bonds. We need a lot more listening and a lot less shouting. Let us rededicate ourselves to a shared set of values, norms, and governing principles. Most of all, now more than ever, let us embrace the tenet that guided our Founders, E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one.