Mob

Mob

By

Leonard Zwelling

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/opinion/capitol-riot-trump.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/opinion/trump-georgia-republicans.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-disgrace-on-capitol-hill-11609979276?mod=opinion_lead_pos1

This is not the blog I thought I would be running today, January 8, 2021. In fact, it’s not a blog I thought I would be running—ever.

On January 6, 2021, a day that will be historic for certain, an unruly mob of Trump supporters, goaded by a sitting president to riot and attempt a coup because they did not like the result of a fair and legitimate election stormed the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. One protestor was killed and one officer has died as well. Three others died during the riot. Many were injured on both sides of this assault. Members of Congress had to hide as the mob stopped the governmental business of the United States in a fashion the Japanese couldn’t even do in 1941. It is fascinating that the only time the Rose Bowl was played outside Pasadena was 1942 when it was moved to the campus of Duke University for fear of a Japanese attack on the west coast. Until this year when it was moved to Dallas in fear of covid-19. Now we have, in this new year, an attack on the seat of government not seen since the War of 1812. At least in 1812 it was the English who damaged the Capitol. This year it was American citizens.

I have already heard from readers who say that this riot is no worse than the ones last summer after the George Floyd murder. Really? This was an attack on the heart of democracy and was met with less resistance than would have been used by any metropolitan police force dealing with a Fourth of July celebration.

Let’s be absolutely clear here.

This was not just any incident of civil disobedience. This was a mob rioting against the Capitol Police on Capitol Hill while the House and Senate were meeting in joint session. Windows were broken. Barricades were stormed. Offices were broken into and desks were rifled. And, all of this was condoned and incited by the President of the United States and his allies in Congress who simply will not acknowledge that Trump lost the election. They goad the mob to demand a victory be declared by the Vice President. Senators from Missouri, Texas and other locales demand a commission to look into irregularities that do not exist. These same people have been screaming fire since November 3 when there was no fire and now want the non-existent fire investigated. Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley and Ron Johnson ought to be prosecuted for sedition and President Trump ought to be impeached while he still can be, that is unless Vice President Pence grows a pair and invokes the 25^th Amendment and has Trump removed from office. Two Cabinet officers have resigned already rather than have to vote to remove the President. This was the act of an unstable man. Trump is unfit to lead. Of course, many of us thought that four years ago.

We have reached the point that many of us were sure would arrive. First, in the coronavirus, Trump met an adversary and a crisis he couldn’t talk his way around. Then, he could not accept his loss to Joe Biden and has egged on his thug supporters to rebel. This was an insurrection. It was incited by a sitting president. This is sedition and ought to be prosecuted. Use the videotape of the rioters to indict the perpetrators.

I hope all of my conservative Trump supporting friends are happy. They finally can no longer deny the mob boss they have been supporting all these many years.

If we are to be a just nation, Cruz, Hawley, Johnson and Trump have to be held to account for what they wrought.

Lock them up! Try them first, but then let’s get them off the streets to places where they can do no more harm and where prison justice is more in line with what they have tried to mete out.

And on the subject of real justice, tell me why the Capitol Police were in full combat gear during Black Lives Matter demonstrations and wholly unprepared for January 6. Double standard? You bet.

Jack Nicholson said in the first Batman film: “what this town needs is an enema.” So does Washington. I am not sure that Biden and Harris are up to the task, but they cannot get started soon enough. They will need some help from voters in Texas, Missouri and Wisconsin. They got it from voters in Georgia!

Mitch McConnell’s speech on the floor of the Senate after reconvening on January 6 clearly demonstrated the direction rational Republicans need to go. He also was clear in his ire towards Cruz, Hawley and his other colleagues who supported this electoral nonsense. Too little, too late, but better late than never, Mitch. In losing his majority leader role, Mr. McConnell may have seen the light about Donald Trump albeit pretty late. Trump damaged the Republican brand. It is up to the remaining GOP leadership to try and reclaim it after a mob riot that many on the GOP incited.

January 6. 2021 is a black day in American history, but if it officially marks the beginning of the Biden Era, something good may come of it.