An Ugly Sickness Has Emerged

 My heart hurts.

I was watching a news channel a day or so ago, and one of the guests on the program noted that many Americans are stunned, shocked and appalled after watching the attack on America's Capitol.

Someone on Facebook called movement that attacked the Capitol and the legislators working inside "an ugly sickness." That is a fair description. This sickness has infected tens of millions of Americans. In some ways it is more deadly than the coronavirus. This infection has been festering for years, but it has become so much worse during the past four years. And now it is a full blown epidemic. We now have vaccines against the coronavirus, but how do we stop this epidemic of fascism and hate?

My reaction to the insurrection doesn't rise to the level of PTSD, but the shock, anger and disbelief certainly are real. These feelings have worsened as I learn more about the events of Jan. 6. Laptops and tablets were stolen from various offices of members of Congress. A police officer died after being hit in the head (some say beaten) with a fire extinguisher. Rioters searched for Vice President Mike Pence with the alleged goal of hanging him for his failure to override the vote of the Electoral College, something he didn't have the authority to do. Other insurrectionists were seen with plastic zip-ties, suggesting they intended to take prisoners. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is reported to have been a target of particular interest. Feces were spread in the building. The US flag atop the Capitol was taken down and replaced with a Trump flag.

Make so mistake. This was not a peaceful protest. This was not a riot. This was an insurgency. It was an attempted coup encouraged by the president of the United States and his minions. The military, under its recently appointed civilian leaders, refused to send the National Guard to help the beleaguered US Capitol Police. This was a well orchestrated, well planned attack on the very foundation of American democracy. It was not a surprise. There is no excuse for the lack of preparation and for the failed response.

These were not the actions of 'patriots' as the rioters -- and their president -- claim. These were the actions of seditionists, those whose sole intent was the destruction of our system of government. The intent was to give the election -- an election lost by their leader by more than 7 million votes -- to their cult leader and install him as dictator. The intent was to make the country, once again, a bastion of white supremacy and to put everyone else (gays, women, Blacks, Muslims, Hispanics and every other non-white group) in their subservient places. The intent was to give all power to an elite group of extremely wealthy white men.

Does this sound like a patriotic movement to you?

It's OK not to be OK. Some days are just harder than others. I read this online as well, so I can't claim it as an original thought. But again, it's true. I am not OK. I am not OK with a group of armed ruffians trying to overthrow a duly elected government. I am not OK with elected members of Congress aiding and abetting an attempted coup of the American government. I am not OK with these same people then claiming that Democrats should take no action to remove the president -- the same president who incited and encouraged the riot at the Capitol -- because we need to heal the country and work together. Yes, we do need to heal the country. But we also need to hold accountable those responsible for this insurrection, at every level, whether they physically assaulted the Capitol or created the atmosphere of violence that led to the insurrection.

Exactly what is it these anti-patriots are trying to 'take back'? Precisely what has been taken from them? It seems clear that their objective is to make White supremacy the law of the land. Is disenfranchisement of everyone who isn't White part of the plan? Power to a few oligarchs? And exactly what will it take to, in their minds, make America 'great' again? 

America is great when every citizen has equal rights. America is great when every person feels safe and respected. America is great when we once again become a nation of laws.