Capitol in crisis: The aftermath
Whenever a monumental event occurs, media coverage saturates the airwaves so much that many important aspects fall by the wayside.
In that light, let’s examine some topics not as prominent as they should be.
Above all, Congress should be commended for its courage because, in the face of extreme adversity, its members finished what they started. They could have cowered and delayed the presidential certification vote, but didn’t. Mere hours after the Capitol was ransacked -- where lives were lost and tangible fear gripped every member -- they nonetheless returned to the floor, standing side-by-side to conduct the people’s business. In fulfilling their Constitutional oaths, they sent the unmistakable message that American democracy would never be derailed, no matter what.
Because the threat didn’t discriminate -- because every legislator faced the same danger -it would be nice to think that, just maybe, a new era in bipartisanship, or at least civility, will take hold. To be sure, the odds are against it, but if we don’t try to see others as fellow Americans, rather than vitriolic opponents, the divide will only widen.
Mr. Trump showed unprecedented hypocrisy on two fronts.
First, it took him four days to place the flag at half-mast to honor the U.S. Capitol policeman killed in the line of duty. More appalling, Mr. Trump, as of this writing, has yet to even mention the officer’s name (it is Brian Sicknick, Mr. President), or call his family. Not surprisingly, Vice President Pence offered condolences, as did Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Does Donald Trump have any soul left? How can he look in the mirror given that, for four years, he described himself as the most pro-police president in history -- always having the back of law enforcement -- yet hasn’t even uttered a word about the man in blue who gave the ultimate sacrifice? And given that Officer Sicknick was an Iraq war veteran, Mr. Trump’s assertion that he is the military’s greatest supporter also falls on deaf ears. It shows that when something lacks political benefit, Mr. Trump ignores it.
Mr. Trump’s other blaring inconsistency is his decision to boycott Joe Biden’s inauguration. Not only does it set a terrible example, but such behavior is exactly what Mr. Trump, correctly, criticized four years ago.
To many, the president, in the span of a few hours, validated the narrative that the left had been disingenuously spewing for four years -- that Mr. Trump was a xenophobic, wanna-be dictator who would shred the Constitution to further his agenda. Truth is, that description had no merit.
Building a border wall, enacting a temporary travel ban against terrorist-laden nations, advocating equal-treatment for all with special treatment for none, and not reflexively condemning police does not make one a bully or dictator. Instead, they are sound policies based on logic.
But by not accepting the election outcome after legal recourse was exhausted, refusing to concede, and still claiming the election was rigged (despite finding no evidence of widespread fraud), the president appeared to be undermining democracy itself. The straw that broke the camel’s back was egging his protestors to take action.
There is no escaping that Mr. Trump’s continued assault on the election propelled people to behave in terrifying ways. Had he gracefully accepted the outcome, the tragic events at the Capitol would likely not have transpired. Perception is reality, and perception is that Mr. Trump’s behavior provided the spark that lit the powder keg.
Democrats who think they will make political hay by associating Donald Trump with Republicans in 2022 campaigns are mistaken. People will vote for those best-suited to lead the country -- not whether someone supported a president two years prior. And a president, let’s not forget, who garnered a staggering 74 million votes.
Democrats were wrong about the Trump effect in 2016, and they were wrong in 2020. Going down the same road could lead to their loss of one, if not both, chambers.
The overwhelming majority of those attending the Trump rally were peaceful and respectful, as they have been for four years. It is disingenuous to describe them as anything else. But those on the left want it both ways - saying that the George Floyd protesters were “mainly peaceful,” but lumping all Trump attendees with the relatively few idiots and lawbreakers.
Sorry, that double standard won’t fly. And anyone vilifying those who attended, but had nothing to do with the Capitol breach, must be repudiated, or the wave of intolerance will only grow larger.
The answer is simple, just not easy: Choose peace. Choose kindness. Choose greatness. God bless America.