The Devastating U.S. Capitol Attack
On January 6th 2021, a riot of Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in what was pretty much an attempted coup — one of America’s worst security breaches in history. And here we were thinking 2021 was going to be a better year.
It is absolutely devastating to think about the the violence portrayed and the 5 people who lost their lives in this show of terrorism, which goes against the beliefs and principles of democracy that the United States so proudly stands for. Being in a country which although is free, is censored, I have always admired the sheer liberty and democratic system that America had built itself from, and I, like so many across the globe, am in total shock by this cruel burst of outrage. This is not okay, and this will never be okay.
The thing is, being a history student, I hear about coups and revolutions all the time. If I’m being honest, sometimes as I’m learning about them, I understand what is going on, and am shocked by the vile violence, but it doesn't go any further than that. I think about the event for a couple of minutes and then move on, not truly realising the agony and pain felt by those involved. Despite not living in America, watching live footage, speeches and reading the reports, I can finally appreciate what it feels like to experience such a show of terrorism first hand. This time, the messages of one of the darkest days in U.S. history will not be forgotten, lest not by me.
One of the most important messages I can take from this is the vitality of acceptance, which Donald Trump has failed to do right until his moment of resignation, in which he has declared not to attend President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, breaking the American tradition. As many I am sure, I cannot understand the rationale of Donald Trump, and my heart goes out to those affected by his tyrannical policies, total disregard for the detrimental effects of COVID-19, and till yesterday, his relentless refusal to contradict the results of the November election. Pro-Trump protestors, many of whom were carrying banners of ‘Keep America Great Again” and insisting in Trump’s victory, were only spurred on by the man himself; I am entirely supportive of Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for indefinitely removing Donald Trump from their platforms, in the hopes that future violence and extreme methods will be prevented.
Perhaps one of the most shocking and devastating realisations was the reaction of the police, which contrasts so greatly from their response to the Black Lives Matter movement that was officially started in 2020. As President-elect Joe Biden noted in his speech and statement, the mild response of the police to the the Trump supporters who initiated the riots would have been completely different should those have been supporters of the Black Lives Matter, protesting for causes fundamental to society — the equal treatment of all individuals. This is absolute hypocrisy by the American Law Enforcement, and only reinforces the pressing need for change through this depiction of the “advantage of being white”. There is no denying it.
In a time where we are all going through the universal experience battling the COVID-19 surge, with new variants developing in so many countries, it is truly heartbreaking to see the further deepening of divides within society, and appalling to see the level of violence to which extremists are willing to go to. I hope that you are well and safe, and believe that there are better times ahead for us all. Treat all with love and acceptance. We fail both on a societal level and on an individual basis, with our failure to be kind.
Strong, differing views do not, and will never, justify acts of blatant violence. While everybody is entitled to their own opinions, there is no excuse to enforce them upon others or attempt radical change such as what has been exhibited in the Capitol breach. Let’s learn from this; respect every person in your life, no matter how different, no matter how much you disagree with, no matter how much you detest. Better times ahead!
