I need to blog about this for the record so that in future times I may look back upon this historical moment.
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Yesterday, in Washington D.C., a mob descended upon The Capitol Building. They breached security and got inside what is in effect the beating heart of American democracy. You must have seen it on your television screen. It was as terrible as it was terrifying.
They were fired up by a rabble-rouser, someone who evidently does not care a fig for normal democratic processes. He incited the mob. In fact, he had been inciting that mob for weeks with fantastical tales of a stolen election.
When given an opportunity to subdue the mob and to get them out of The Capitol straight away, this rabble-rouser could not stop himself from repeating his lies about a stolen election. To him, the rioters were "very special" people.
After their assault on The Capitol, I had the impression that they simply walked away. It seems incredible that there were no mass arrests. Those people deserve to be apprehended, charged, brought to court and then sent to prison. What is more, their leader deserves identical treatment. Here in Britain, inciting a riot is a serious criminal offence and I understand that this is equally true in America.
Another point I would wish to make strongly is that this mass gathering of embittered bad losers in Washington happened in the teeth of a deadly pandemic when crowds are obviously discouraged because of possible COVID infection. On the day that the attack on democracy happened, 4068 more Americans died from the virus and a further 259,807 citizens became "new cases" in the country's awesome infection figures.
How wonderful it would be if Joe Biden could begin his presidency without any backwash from the last four years. With his chosen team, he has so much to do and the last thing he needs is a deranged egomaniac still shouting his head off from the sidelines, still dividing the people, still stabbing his bloody knife into the guts of American democracy.
That picture of a thug in a Congressional office is despicable. Another picture I found even more horrifying was a thug parading down the Congressional hall with a Confederate flag over his shoulder.
ReplyDeleteNo official restraint has been brought against this president in the last four years because of his supporters in his majority Senate and in the House. Their inaction and his encouragement has produced this spectacle that should have incited so much anger in so many Americans that their representatives will wreak justice on the perpetrators, all of them, and then set about making our presidential election system far more transparent.
As for the gentleness of the police on those street thugs, I see it as the manifestation of the president's abuse of the authority of his office the last four years. There were plenty of armed police in the capital when BLM protestors held a completely peaceful protest.
Somebody made a huge mistake in failing to anticipate this assault on The Capitol. The security ring should have been impregnable. Those that were there seemed to cave in too easily as if they were in some godforsaken banana republic.
DeleteJoanne is correct, there were more than enough armed police and National Guard in the capital when the BLM protestors held a peaceful protest. The president did not want heavy security for this because these are "his people" and he directly encouraged them to march on the capitol in his speech to them this morning. The president refused to call out the National Guard until late in the day after things were already out of hand. Very few people were arrested. He got what he wanted. He should be removed from office and jailed for inciting a riot and an insurrection. What happened today makes me sick.
DeleteThe black community in Washington D.C. constitutes 45% of the city's population but in that ignorant mob I did not see a single black face.
DeleteYou have said it well. Our country is in shambles and the man who caused it is still sitting in the White House and those who supported and enabled him are free as well.
ReplyDeleteWhat shame he has brought upon us. And we have allowed it to happen.
Freedom is precious but he took advantage of it, abused it, disrespected it for his own egotistical pleasure. He called Nancy Pelosi a "monster" but he has shown beyond doubt that he is the monster. I hear that he may even attempt to pardon himself before he leaves The White House without a drop of shame but steeped in shame.
DeleteWell said about today's sad event. The photo you have is astounding. Get this guy and put him away forever. Security for this day was completely inept.
ReplyDeleteHaving slept on it, I can't help feeling that Trump had a hand in creating that laxness as well as the mob attack on The Capitol.
DeleteIt's appalling, and as Joanne said, what's just as bad is the number of Republicans in the House and Senate who have allowed him to abuse his position. They all have a lot to answer for.
ReplyDeleteTalk about silent witnesses.
Delete*The mob is the mother of tyrants.*
ReplyDelete- Diogenes (412-323 B.C.) Greek philosopher.
*There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law.*
- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) Statesman, lawyer, 16th President of United States.
How sickening that Trump has frequently likened himself to Abraham Lincoln.
DeleteA Scene from Mr Lincoln (Criterion Collection).
DeleteYouTube.
Lincoln the attorney (Henry Fonda) talks down a lynch mob.
*We seem to lose our heads in times like this. We do things together that we'd be mighty ashamed to do by ourselves,* Lincoln tells the mob.
As if the world doesn't think badly enough of the past four years of US history, this is the icing on the cake. Throughout history people have been stirred to unreasonable behaviour by criminally acting leaders, and what has happened is just that. You put it very well.
ReplyDeleteAnd so did you Andrew.
DeleteIt is indeed terrible and terrifying. Last August, a mob of neo-Nazis, ultrarights and other "very special people" tried to enter the Reichstag building in Berlin, the heart of Germany's democratic government. They were stopped, arrests were made, and as a consequence, furhter restrictions were placed on demonstrations in the vicinity of this and other government buildings.
ReplyDeleteIt is scary, and I dare say was not the last time something like this happens, especially if the assailants get away with it so lightly.
At the very least, each one of them should have been photographed and asked for ID as they left The Capitol.
DeleteTruly deplorable behaviour.
ReplyDeleteThe most deplorable behaviour of all was shown by a fake president sitting in a white house half a mile away.
DeleteWhen the history books are written, they will question why the reign of Trump was allowed to happen, why did not the Republicans throw him out? It all looks like weakness and a self-serving mindset of a few people in government. The storming of the Capitol was terrible but it was hundreds that did it not thousands. What really worries me is where the police and military stand in this wretched affair.
ReplyDeleteThat was certainly not a ring of steel round The US Capitol was it? More like a ring of tissue paper.
DeleteThe equivalent in the UK of rioters storming and entering Parliament.
ReplyDeleteThe protection around our parliament is brilliant in comparison.
DeleteLast night, I went to bed with my phone on my bedside table. When I woke up at 3 AM (never you mind why, it doesn't matter), I took a look at the phone. Of the 13 senators who vowed to challenge the electoral count, only 7 remained. Those seven were soundly blasted not just by democrats but by their own party. These events may be the unifying force that gets us out of these terrible days. This morning, I see that the bastard in charge is swearing to an orderly transition of power. Little late for that. His name is writ in the history books and he will be known from this day on as the most corrupt president in history. After his 62 second speech telling the rioters to go home, while also telling them that he understood their anger at the stolen election and calling them great people, his twitter account should be suspended. We should hear that voice whining from our televisions ever again. He is a traitor.
ReplyDeleteYour interpretation seems spot on to me and please don't worry Debby - there's no way I am going to enquire about your 3am liaison with George Clooney.
DeleteShould have read 'never hear that whiny voice',etc.
DeleteIt has nothing to do with Clooney. Sometimes, I like to call Sam Elliott in the middle of the night when his sleepy voice is extra gravelly.
Sam Elliott? I guess we all have guilty and perhaps incomprehensible pleasures. 'Scuse me Debby - Reece Witherspoon has just dropped by for another massage session.
DeleteI think a thorough psychiatric examination is needed for that man before he causes any more damage.
ReplyDeleteHis self-obsession is surely a kind of madness.
DeleteJust a point of clarity from an earlier comment: the President never did call in the National Guard. Initially, when Pelosi and Bowser (DC Mayor) called for the NG, they were turned down. Finally, Vice President Pence authorized it. Too little. Too late.
ReplyDeleteThe same could be said of far too many Republicans. Too little. Too late. History will show that the majority of Republicans (particularly leadership) have for more than four years allowed mob rule to cower them into submission to the demands of a demented tyrant and brought the nation to the precipice of destroying the fabric of our republic. Yesterday's shameful and disgusting display of viciousness against democracy is Trump's ultimate black hearted legacy.
You are correct Mary, I mistakenly heard that the president called out the National Guard yesterday, late in the day. I discovered today it was in fact Vice President Pence. Yes, too little and too late.
DeleteI suspect that the lax security at The Capitol was something that Trump had engineered for his own evil purposes.
DeleteIs Big Brother watching me?
ReplyDeleteTwice I have written a comment on your blog this morning YP, and each time I tried to click on publish, I mysteriously lost my internet connection! It isn't as though my comments were in any way inflammatory. I feel I was just expressing the truth as right-minded people must see it. Perhaps my use of words such as megalomania, egomania, et al, have flagged up somewhere?
The position of President in any democratic country is one of trust and one of dignity - neither quality the present incumbent has ever displayed. He should have conceded victory to his opponent and stepped back graciously, as those before him have. Not stirred up the mob to storm the Capitol. His behaviour is appalling, but what can you expect from a former TV Reality Show Host? That, I think, says it all. His term of office will surely go down as a very dark period in America's history.
I agree. How much better it would have been for him and his family if he had just taken the election defeat on his chin, boasted about his "achievements" and then left the stage in a quiet, dignified manner. History would then not have judged him as badly as it is now certain to do.
DeleteYou might think this is funny, Coppa's girl, but the same thing happened to me. Twice! Makes me wonder. When I went to "publish", all the text was gone. Very odd!
DeleteI feel sorry for Biden. He will always have to watch his back. I am appalled by Trump for being such a bad loser and for inciting the riots. The US are not showing themselves in the best light at the moment. As for your comment about spreading covid through rioting, those sort of people probably believe covid is a hoax. God help the world if these idiots get to the top of the gene pool.
ReplyDeleteMr Biden and his team have a lot of work to do to drive Trump's monster back into its lair.
DeleteI think the role of the police needs to be examined and they must be held accountable for their failures (or complicity). But of course Trump is ultimately responsible, and he should face consequences. At the very least Twitter should turn him off entirely until after Jan. 20. That sounds minor, and it's not enough by itself, but it will strike at the heart of Trump's ability to communicate with his cultists and it will puncture his diseased ego as well.
ReplyDeleteI am not concerned in the least bit about Covid spreading in that crowd. It would serve them right.
But presumably many of those numbskulls will go back to their families and communities taking the virus with them.
DeleteI am, in part simply re-iterating what others have said. This is how all fascist regimes start. The police were out in incredible force to clear the BLM and other demonstrators when Trump (I now have difficulty even calling him President) walked to the Cenotaph or when George Floyd was killed. Not bringing in reinforcements early was, presumably a decision by someone and that seems be an alert of great danger to me.
ReplyDeleteThe differences in policing are indeed chilling.
DeleteI was going to say that Trump himself declined to send in the National Guard and Pence had to do it, but I see a couple of people have beat me to it. I never in a thousand years imagined the scene I witnessed yesterday in our nation's Capitol. Disgusted isn't even a strong enough word for how I feel. What a dark day for our nation.
ReplyDeleteTrump needs to be removed from office in handcuffs TODAY. I can't understand why it hasn't happened already. And I want to see all those rioters and looters arrested with the strongest possible charges brought against them. Every single one of them should face maximum penalties for their crimes.
I'm so thankful that we'll have a new President and a new majority Senate in less than two weeks. God help us in the meantime.
If only Mr Biden's fresh new page could be an unhindered new beginning but Trump and his ragbag army will ensure that that is not the case.
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