On January 7, 2021, Presidential Election Certification Day in the United States, I viewed scenes from the previous day's Capitol revolt in horror along with millions of other Americans. Reading my daily news feed, I saw photo after photo of a frenzied mob storming our country's most venerated federal building, penetrating its entry points in any way possible, in an attempt to disrupt the House of Representatives' business of officially naming Joe Biden 40th president of the United States.
Angry, passion-fueled protestors armed with everything from signs and flags to zip ties, handcuffs, incendiary devices, and firearms had swarmed the building. They scaled walls and balconies, assaulted and pushed past Capitol guards, breached the chamber itself, and reportedly went on the hunt for any elected officials who hadn't managed to flee the building in fear for their lives. Some in the mob were even heard demanding the head of outgoing Vice President ____ Pence, who they by that point they regarded as a traitor for conceding to a transfer of power.
It was a chaotic scene, a riot that was ultimately quelled, but was not without casualties. By the time it was over and the damage was being assessed, five people who were present that day had died and nearly 150 had been injured. A number of lawmakers had been traumatized. In the days, weeks, and months that followed, scores of the self-styled patriots who participated in the insurrection were identified, tracked down, and arrested. The identities of quite a few were established through selfies and writings they had proudly posted on social media.
At the end of it all, the losses of life and personal freedom seemed hard to justify. There was no coup, aside from the silent one Trump supporters would insist Democrats had gotten away with. The House vote went forward, and a still defiant Donald Trump was forced to vacate the White House. On January 20th, in an uneventful and tradition honoring ceremony at the site of the uprising, Joe Biden was installed as the new commander-in-chief of the United States.
With Trump's move-out completed and Biden's takeover of the White House, Democrats celebrated what most regarded as a return to dignity, normalcy, and reason. They were joined in that perspective by former Republican President George Bush, as well as a number of moderate Republican officials who had felt duty-bound to hold the GOP party line for the duration of Trump's tenure in office. Many were breathing sighs of relief, but in certain pockets throughout the country, millions of Americans were still bristling, and it was palpable.
The horror that I felt while viewing scenes from January 6th was equaled by what I felt in the On my own social media feeds, I saw a proliferation of "Stop The Steal" diatribes and memes by long-time, formerly Progressive friends.
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