It was like we were there that afternoon of January 6, 2021 as we watched in disbelief the violence erupting at our nation’s Capital. We kept checking across various news outlets from MSNBC to Fox News to make sure what we were seeing was really happening. And, sadly, we were confronted again and again by the same violent images. In the days that followed, many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle would forcibly, and rightfully, condemn the violence.
But soon the tide was recalibrated as allegiance to our flag and Republic went silent, drowned out by the growing vocal allegiance to Trump instead. Memories began to morph as Republican lawmakers tried to convince us that, essentially, we hadn’t really seen what we’d seen. Desperate to remain in good stead, strengthen the alliance, and court favor with their emerging autocratic leader, spines went soft. Most troubling, the ability to stand for the true heroes of the day, the Capitol Police officers, waned.
And today this morphing has culminated in a full reversal of the facts of what actually happened on January 6th. Now we’re told not only did we not see what we saw but, in reality, just the opposite happened. By continuing to describe the insurrectionists as “hostages,” Trump and his top guard have been reprogramming us to see what they want us to see: the violent mob that attacked the Capitol that day were simply true, unarmed, patriots.
This, of course, was predictable and unsurprising. After all, the so-called hostages had done their due diligence by showing clear and proper allegiance to Trump before they tried to destroy all constitutional vestiges of power. And we, having been duly programmed, were now primed to at least consider that it was really the rioters who were the true victims of that day. In this way, Trump could pardon them all with minimum fear of political backlash.
“I pledge allegiance to President Trump, and to the Republic which he has formed . . .”
It just may have worked—“if” we hadn’t seen with our own eyes what we saw. But we did. We did, in fact, see many of the rioters come armed with a variety of weapons such as stun guns, pepper spray, baseball bats and flagpoles wielded as clubs. We saw the violent attacks on police officers just doing their sworn duty that day. 140+ of them were injured, some seriously. Others would die in the days and weeks following including Officer Brian Sicknick, 42, an Iraq War veteran, who died the next day from wounds caused by a fire extinguisher to the head. We saw the lynching noose and heard the cries, “Hang Mike Pence.” And we watched, horrified, as the Confederate Flag was proudly carried through the Capitol.
Those of us who witnessed the events of January 6th must now not remain silent, lest we appear to be following along like imprinting ducklings to Trump’s self-serving propaganda. We must stand with the National Association of Police Officers and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, along with many US citizens, Republican and Democrat, who’ve condemned Trump’s decision to pardon those involved in the insurrection.
We must not cower and avoid dialogue as Trump’s top guard is doing. This should show us all that they’re unwilling to engage in any discussion that may potentially displease or threaten their leader. They’re clearly fearful and rightly should be. After all, autocrats get even particularly when they believe they’ve been touched by the providential hand of God and now have a Supreme Court willing to shelter and protect all actions done under the cloak of the office.
“I pledge allegiance to President Trump, and to the Republic which he has formed, one nation duly governed by him, God’s chosen servant . . .”
Sadly, Trump told us who he was in 2016 when he said, “I could stand in the middle of 5th Ave. and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters.” At the time, most of us dismissed it as simply a grossly inappropriate display of chest-thumping. Today, we know it’s absolutely true. Trump could stand out in front of the Capitol building, kill someone while many watched, and by the evening news the channels supporting Trump would be assuring us that we really hadn’t seen what we’d seen—that what we’d really witnessed was, in fact, a most courageous and patriotic act carried out by our illustrious, divinely appointed, leader.
And, we’d all be encouraged to pray for him, placing our hands over our hearts as we remembered our Pledge of Allegiance:
“We pledge allegiance to President Trump, and to the Republic which he has formed, one nation duly governed by him, God’s chosen servant, to offer liberty and justice as decreed.”
To all who treasure democracy, let’s not falter at this critical moment! Let’s fight for the country our forefathers dared to envision, now on life support, so, just maybe, our children and grandchildren might one day still be able to stand and pledge allegiance to the flag and to our great Republic for which it stands.
Stephanie Rutt 