They were not ‘protesters’ Simmons’ unsupported claims
These past four years, Trump has been collecting “brown shirts” with each calculated rally. They wear red caps and camo instead, but they are no less fascist thugs. I believe there is a dangerous political agenda afoot. It does not originate in the economically stressed, white-working class.
This covert agenda cleverly leverages the grievances of whites who see their historic majority and privileged class position in American society diminishing.
To this, add racial bigotry, which has always existed in our nation, and you have fertile fields in which to plow and raise up “brown shirts.”
Our legitimate law-enforcing agencies must take seriously, and find measures to interdict, continuing recruitment and expansion of armed militias. Criminal charges should be filed against those wielding weapons who attacked police and vandalized our Capitol. These violent insurgents were not “protesters.” They are an armed and deliberate contingent whose goal is to intimidate and take down institutions that defend our Constitutional rights and our personal security.
Polly Brody, Southbury
Michael Hamad’s analysis of the causes of the riot at the Capitol [Page 1, Jan. 10, “How did we get here?”] brought together a good range of salient points. One must question the editorial choice of ending a story that shed so much light on the historical roots of that outrage with Rob Simmons’ unsupported claim that the blame for the violence rests, at least in part, on antifa provocateurs, rather than with Trump’s ardent supporters — whose anger Simmons excuses by claiming that they were rightfully upset over the way Trump was treated by the Mueller investigation, the impeachment and other “mistreatment” that Trump’s constitutionally questionable behavior brought upon himself.
Yet if leftist radicals were somehow such a prominent part of the mob that attacked the Capitol building, then why is it that so many of those pictured celebrating their “patriotic” deed have been revealed, by their social media accounts, to be fixtures of Trump rallies, with membership in organizations peddling toxic conspiracy theories? Is this just another feeble attempt by those on the right to shift blame for the lack of civility and self-control among their own?
Jeff Bayliss, West Hartford