Pepper spray and tear gas is used as Trump supporters breached the U.S. Capitol building during a joint session of Congress in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. Credit: Pool/Sipa USA via TNS
Written by Ronald Holmes III, President OSU Dems
Watching the events unfold Wednesday in our nation’s capital, I was flabbergasted at how this was possible. How could something like this happen on our shores, in what was supposed to be one of the most secure buildings in the world? On the day when Congress was to formally certify Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election, our nation suffered a major blow to our reputation on a global scale.
When I was a young child, I was often told about the sanctity and importance of the core principles that our nation was founded upon. The idea of a peaceful transfer of power was one of those fundamental principles I learned about, as was the principle that patriotism was shown through upholding our nation’s Constitution and rule of law. Both of these principles were threatened when an angry pro-Trump mob disrupted a joint session of Congress in what could only be described as an insurrection against the United States.
As a student of history, I have come to see the monuments in our nation’s capital as symbols of freedom, hope, honor, decency and pride. Unfortunately, those images have been contaminated with the stains of hate and divisiveness that have come from the White House and President Donald Trump’s twitter feed over the last five years.
A U.S. Capitol police officer shoots pepper spray at a person attempting to enter the Capitol building during a joint session of Congress in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Pool/Sipa USA via TNS
The Capitol has come under attack several times in our history, but never by the constituents of those who’ve sworn an oath to serve their country. The next statement is not one that I say lightly: Those who attacked our nation’s capital are not American patriots as they proclaim; they are domestic terrorists and traitors. These insurrectionists carried guns and symbols, such as the Confederate Flag, that have historically represented treason against the United States. They weaponized these symbols in the name of the First Amendment right to free speech. I wholeheartedly believe in the rights protected by the First Amendment, but it does not guarantee the right to overthrow your government and it does not permit inciting violence and panic because you do not agree with the decision of a legitimate and lawfully held election.
Supporters of Trump have long been living in a separate reality than the rest of the country as right-wing media continue to push outright lies and falsehoods about the legitimacy of the 2020 Presidential Election. These fallacies have contributed to a growing percentage of the American public who do not trust our electoral system or our elected representatives, regardless of their political party. This disinformation directly led to the events that unfolded Wednesday on Capitol Hill, which were further enlivened by Trump’s rally earlier that day, where he again falsely claimed the election had been stolen from him.
While the nation and the world watched the violence unfold in Washington, D.C., I couldn’t help but worry about those inside the Capitol building.
The greatest symbol of American freedom, the U.S. Capitol, was infiltrated, but it was not destroyed. Our democratic process was interrupted, but it was not stopped. The transfer of power from the incumbent President to the President-elect will be tumultuous, but on Jan. 20, it will occur. For nearly 250 years, we have relied on our elected representatives to uphold their oaths and hear the voice of the people. Transfers of power have occurred in both times of peace and war, and yesterday’s events further prove that no group of insurrectionists will prevent the gears of democracy from turning.
President Donald Trump supporters protest on the steps of U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Credit: Gripas Yuri/ABACA via TNS
Though we as citizens often criticize Congress for their gridlock, they stood resilient and continued the people’s work in an orderly fashion, returning to the very chambers that the rebels occupied just hours before. For that, I express my gratitude.
As the sun rose the next day, Old Glory, with her brilliant red, white and blue colors, remained resolute in her watch over all of our nation’s citizens, even those who tried to destroy her from the inside.
