Another Friday, but today, the only comments we have about our week will be minimal. On Wednesday we slept, we ate, we cooked, we grocery shopped, we washed our hands, we wore masks in public, Mark spent a 30 minute time period with the Master Gardener group removing outside Holiday decorations from the gardens. Tuesday morning, Deb was up early, taking a picture of a beautiful sunrise. Little did we suspect that beauty in our life was about to get displaced!
Mostly what we did was watch in horror on Wednesday as Donald J. Trump, President of The United States of America, proceed to do his damndest to tear apart our country and our democracy. We watched with tears streaming down our cheeks and fear in our hearts as the riotous mob he had called to the City of Washington and then fired up with a rally speech, marched to the U.S. Capitol Building, break down the doors, break out windows, and invade and occupy the premises. We watched as videos and photographs of Capitol Policeman, guns drawn, held a standoff with thugs breaking down the doors.
We watched as louts clamored over the galleries, dropping onto the dais and then sitting in the recently vacated President’s chair, spinning around and taking a selfie of his smug bearded mug. We watched as another, having invaded the Speaker’s office, sat in her chair for a selfie and left a note scrawled on her file folders. We learned that the Senators and Congressional Representatives had been evacuated to undisclosed locations after taking their issued gas masks with them.
We learned of the shooting of another woman rioter, shot dead in the rotunda by Capitol Police. We watched as the policemen politely held open the doors of the building for these common criminal trespassers to exit. We watched as people paraded around the steps, waving Trump flags, American flags and the traitorous Confederate flag. We learned that the last time the Capitol Building was invaded was in 1814, 207 years before, during the War of 1812! Were we fortunate that this group did not burn it as the first set of invaders had done?
We watched as the National Guard and the Washington D.C. police, along with police from Virginia and Maryland, finally showed up as the 6:00 curfew was approaching and slowly pushed the criminal crowd back and away from the Capitol grounds. Admittedly there was no violence on the part of the police and Guard, but for once in our lives, we wished that we could witness a little beating of the perpetrators.
We talked long into the night, thinking that if this had been a Black Lives Matter protest, or a Gay Rights Protest taking over the Capitol and storming through the offices and halls, there would have been murder and mayhem. Why is it that white rioters receive a pass? We ended the week, continuing to question our country, the one we love and grew up in, the one Mark, his fore-bearers and his sons served in the military of, and our granddaughter continues to serve. We talked to friends who have immigrated from other countries, thinking of returning rather than live in this dichotomous and schizoid land.
We are disappointed in our own representatives, all Republican, who supported this President, and some of whom continue to support him. We wonder at our neighbors who have doubled down on their support of the man tearing apart our country - marching to our own State Capitol Building in Lincoln in support of the thugs and criminals? Are we reactionary or are are we right? All we know is that we are saddened and our hearts are breaking for the land we call home. President-elect Joe Biden said on Wednesday, “This is not who we are.” Unfortunately, it is who we are, but not who we should be. We hope that the new administration can right the ship of state, but doubt is still strong in our souls.
We did take a picture of the sunset that Tuesday, again thinking that we were going to bracket a wonderful day. Oh Well! Stay safe, wash your hands, mask up, keep your distance and take your vaccine as soon as it is offered to you.
