“We cannot unify around injustice and lies in an authentic quest for healing and peace. Healing requires honesty. Peace requires justice.”
– Bernice King
Even after all that has happened, some continue to cling to their disillusions rather than entertain the possibility they’ve been misled. Others have decided everyone shares equally in the blame: charlatans, their followers, and honest people alike. Part of the problem is people identifying with social constructs, and their self-image becoming so wrapped up in these constructs, they lose all objectivity. We no longer wear red and blue glasses for 3-D movies, but some people still see the real world that way.
The country is not red and blue. It’s varying shades of purple, with a little bit of green or yellow – you know, like a big bruise.
The only sides that mattered on January 6, 2021 were right vs. wrong – not right vs. left – and truth vs. lie. Reality is multidimensional. You can’t reduce everyone to sides, and those sides to right and wrong. Even within political parties, there are multiple factions, and dissent within those factions as we saw on January 6th. When Congress reconvened following the attempted coup by Trump supporters, including known white supremacists and neonazis, Josh Hawley continued to fan the flames as an angry Mitt Romney looked on. Romney asked his fellow Republicans to be honest and do the right thing.
The only people to blame for the attack are the insurrectionists, those who enabled them, and 8 senators and 139 representatives who continued to push proven lies to disenfranchise 82 million voters. What began as a cynical gamble to placate Trump supporters looks increasingly foolish after seeing what happens when politicians can’t deliver on false promises.
The insurrectionists, many of them middle and upper class, brought zip ties and a gallows to the capital to assassinate Mike Pence (and perhaps others) at the behest of Trump lawyer Lin Wood on Parler. Parler has been removed from app stores, and Amazon will no longer host it. Dishonest politicians claim their right to free speech has been violated, but inciting a coup is not protected speech. It’s a crime. Parler has been banned because they won’t do enough to prevent it. Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube are removing more of the QAnon and white supremacist accounts their algorithms once elevated because they’ve become too much of a liability.
The difference in response to last year’s protests are striking. The only comparable events are anti-quarantine protests like the one in Michigan when armed white supremacists invaded the state capital. Some were later arrested as part of a plot to kidnap the Governor. Many of us noted incitement by the president then, but it was lost in the chaos of the news cycle as the media chased whatever ball he lobbed next.
The FBI warned of the national security threat posed by white supremacists infiltrating law enforcement for years. There are calls to investigate the Capitol police amid speculation of an inside job. Reports surfaced of inadequate preparation and leadership rejecting help from the National Guard, but the Chief of Capitol police blames the Pentagon. Some officers were seen posing in selfies. Two have been suspended. More are under investigation. Others fulfilled their job duties as best they could. Officer Goodman successfully led insurrectionists away from a room full of senators. Officer Sicknick was beaten to death by people with whom he largely agreed, some armed with American flags. He once wrote a letter opposing Trump’s impeachment. It took five days of public outcry before the White House flag was lowered to half-mast.
During a rally before the attempt, Trump riled his supporters up and promised to march alongside them to the Capitol. Instead he was driven by motorcade back to the White House as they put their lives and careers on the line to support a man who cares only about himself.
Now Trump allies who tried to overturn the election ask for unity and healing they never once offered others. To them, it means moving forward like nothing happened. I’m reminded of OpEds following #MeToo that said we needed to provide sexual abusers, most of whom still haven’t been held accountable, with a path forward. Politicians like Cruz and Hawley sow distrust to deepen the division. They need to take responsibility for their actions. Meanwhile police and military are investigating units for sympathy toward insurrectionists ahead of the inauguration. Capitol police are anticipating multiple scenarios, including suspicion of representatives.
This is where branding and the inanity of the left/right binary has brought us. People complain of being misrepresented or vilified even as they misrepresent or vilify others, and excuse or dismiss domestic terrorism. What is happening is not normal. It’s not okay. It won’t end if we pretend otherwise.
I hope the incoming administration learns from past mistakes.
We can’t have unity and healing without justice.
