Now that the inauguration of Joe Biden has taken place without a hitch, Americans may be tempted to breathe a sigh of relief and try to forget the violent attack at the U.S. Capitol that occurred a mere week before. We are tired and want to be hopeful about the future, not frightened. But forgetting the blatant assault on our democracy by a group of white supremacists would be a grave mistake.
We should not delude ourselves into believing that the mob action that occurred at the Capitol was a spontaneous, one-time occurrence. Far right groups had been planning the siege online in the aftermath of an election result they did not like. They came equipped with weapons, ropes, zip ties and a purpose: to shut down the certification of the lawful democratic vote for president and demand that Congress reinstall the petty despot they so admire. Although it might be tempting to laugh at some of the more lame behaviors and the bizarre costumes of this crowd, their actions were nothing short of treasonous.
Not only does justice demand that the rioters be tried and punished, the consequences of taking the Capitol siege lightly are serious. Such groups as the Proud Boys and other white nationalist organizations have not given up the fight. Indeed, the inauguration had to take place under unprecedented security because of continued threats by these groups. Many of their members have arsenals of sophisticated weapons. All they would need would be some sympathetic government officials and members of the military to stage a coup.
Indeed, Americans should be disturbed that many of the rioters were ex-military or law enforcement officers. And a number of National Guardsmen were removed from the inaugural security detail when it was discovered that they had ties to right wing extremist groups. Add to that insiders from the Justice Department insisting that the election results were questionable along with more than 100 legislators voting against certifying results in a couple of states. And they had the nerve to vote this way after the mob threatened the safety of their fellow Congress members.
All of this leads, of course, to the incitement provided by none other than the president and commander-in-chief of our armed forces. Donald Trump is especially responsible for encouraging white nationalists toward violent actions in general and the Capitol attack in particular. For four years, he has given tacit acceptance to the extremist, hateful views of these people through his rhetoric, through his policies of discrimination against minorities and foreigners, and through his inaction when white supremacists practiced violence and intimidation.
Some have suggested that it would be a mistake, if Trump is convicted in the Senate, to vote to bar him from running for president in the future. They reason that millions of Americans who don’t accept the results of the 2020 election will be incensed and perhaps further radicalized by such an action. I say we cannot afford not to convict and ban Trump from political office. Only by clearly signaling that our country will not tolerate insurrection will we be able to make unlikely a repeat of such a horrible spectacle as a Capitol building overrun by a mob.
If Islamic fundamentalists, communicating through social media channels and bearing such apparatus as was found on the person of the Capitol rioters, had stormed our Capitol, they would be sitting in Guantanamo cells or, more likely, dead. To see the actual mob courteously escorted out of the building by besieged Capitol police was infuriating to me. And it should be to any American who values the rule of law and the principles upon which our country was founded.
Dealing decisively with the insurrectionists in our midst will not heal our divisions, that is true. But it will send a signal that the United States of America stands ready to defend itself against all enemies, both within and outside our borders. Only when Americans feel safe will we be able to work on the state of division in which we unfortunately find ourselves.
Because I Said So 