Welcome back, friends!! How have you been? I intended to start the year on the blog just like I usually do — you know, ease into 2021 slowly. Maybe share some photos from our holiday at home or even a post about all my hopes and dreams for the year ahead. And then I spent last Wednesday watching the scene unfold in Washington as a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and it was crystal clear yet again…
America has so much more work to do.
It’s that frustrated feeling I’m sure so many of you are experiencing right now too. The last week has left me feeling so angry and sad. Again. But I’m also, sadly, not surprised. Again.
For four years, we’ve seen Trump openly and unapologetically embolden and encourage his supporters. And last week, he literally emboldened them to storm the Capitol; just hours before the attack, he held a rally that was clearly a call-to-action moment for him — he knew exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it.
We’re going to have to fight much harder
We’re going to walk down to the Capitol
We will never give up…we will stop the steal
We fight like hell
Those are just some of the actual words Trump said in his speech, leaving virtually zero doubt as to his motives. Yes, he did indeed want to incite violence that day and he wanted his supporters to do it for him.
So it’s really no surprise at all that we saw those same supporters “walk down to the Capitol” as per Trump’s instructions. We saw them clad in their MAGA shirts waving Trump flags — and even more disgusting, we also saw the Confederate flag. We saw them push past police — well, the little amount of police that were there. We saw them climb the outside of the Capitol and we saw them vandalize the inside, including the lobby and the offices of Congress members.
It wasn’t a protest and it wasn’t peaceful. In fact, I’m not even sure you could call it a riot because I think we’re so beyond that at this point and we just need to call this event for what it was. This was a violent attack on the very heart of our democracy.
And, of course, we can’t ignore the blatant white privilege that was on display in how police responded — or, really, how they DIDN’T respond. Peaceful protesters marching in support of Black Lives Matter were shot with tear gas and immediately arrested over the summer. In contrast, the violent Trump mob storming the Capitol were able to post bragging videos on social media and take selfies WITH police.
Still think white privilege doesn’t exist??
So here we are, almost a week later, and we’re left wondering: Where do we go from here?? I’m not sure and I won’t pretend to have all the answers, but I’m certain of one thing: None of what’s happened should be a surprise.
None. Of. It.
At. All.
Reminder that a lot of marginalized people like me are TIRED right now. We’ve been talking for years about Trump’s escalating behavior and dangerous politics, but some of y’all are just now clutching your pearls in surprise.
I’ll never understand that one — the writing was always on the wall here. I mean, I literally wrote about how toxic Trump is at least once a year for the last FOUR YEARS — in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. How could so many people have missed all those red flags and siren warning signs?? I’ve seen so many people saying things like “this isn’t who we are” and I’m over here like…
No, this is exactly who we are and it’s exactly who we’ve been, which is why I get so frustrated every single time I see these calls for unity as if we’re all going to sit around the campfire and sing “Kumbaya.” It’s just so rich to see some Republicans calling for healing and coming together after they’ve encouraged and enabled Trump on his baseless, conspiracy-theory, full-of-lies quest to overturn the election results and undermine the very fabric of democracy — how utterly staggering is that dose of hypocrisy?
The bottom line, as we move toward impeachment this week, is that it shouldn’t have taken a siege for some people to realize all the damage that Trump has caused. And it most certainly shouldn’t have taken four years to realize how toxic he is.
What are your thoughts, friends? How have you been feeling about everything that’s going on? Scared? Angry? Confused? All of the above? Where do you think we go from here? Let’s chat… xoxo
[Photos by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images and Reuters]
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Krysten Quiles says
I’m still struggling with how to think and feel. I’m angry. I’m let down. I’m disgusted. I’m trying to stay away from the comments, because this red rage goes over my eyes. I can’t comprehend how anyone thinks this is okay…. and yet so many do.
Our country has A LOT of work to do. And it has to start with white people.
carol wong says
Worried. Afriad of what might happen on Inauguration Day. I keep thinking that when we get a certian date, things will be better, Than there are new days announced that we need to be concerned about.
Two of my friends are so dense about Trump, They do not connect him with all the violence, I talk to then but they do not get it. Meanwhile, it is hard to sleep and feel secure.
Love, Carol
Miss S says
Totally agree, totally agree. The events of the week was disgusting, makes me want to puke. God help us when these sick people fulfill their plans to attack the capitals of our beautiful states. May those people go down in hell!!!!!!
LChishol says
I was speechless while watching the terrorists storm the Capitol. I felt disappointed, disgusted and saddened at the sheer audacity of the people who felt the need to destroy the building and hurt people. I am glad to see that the FBI is swiftly finding and capturing the terrorists. Going forward, a lot of work needs to be done with white privilege and disable what trump enabled the last four years.
Anne says
I am an outside observer, living in Switzerland and I hope not to offend anyone, when I join the conversation. I think it was Jane Fonda, who said Trump has stripped off the bandaid of something that was festering for decades, if not centuries. This has resonated with me, as I have been disconcerned for many years by the blatant racism and ableism in the US and at the same time seeing very proud patriots, that do not allow critical questions about the social problems, leaving people starving and dying of treatable deseases in one of the wealthiest economies. Do you think it could be part of the problem, that there hasn’t been an open discussion, dialogue, because the mythical american dream is not to be questioned? Again we have our way to go in Europe I am very aware!
I am just curious, to hear from people living “on the inside” and seized the opportunity you seem to give me here. ( Be gentle :-))
Clare says
Trump has been manipulating the people. But in turn he’s a puppet and his strings are pulled. He’s been encouraged like a wee puppy with a new toy and a promise of more treats. But as soon as he is out of favour and labelled an emerging bad-guy, the press has begun to say at long last in simple language that perhaps he’s not altruistic in his efforts to make America “great” (what does that even mean!!); that perhaps he has alterior motives that are self centred and maybe, despite all his religious pals calling him some sort of saviour, he couldn’t give a monkey’s about other human beings.
Why haven’t certain press had these discussions before? Have they been waiting for permission to report the obvious?
He’s an unmistakable narcissistic misogynist who expects to be feared and adored. His priority is always himself.
A little part of me actually pities him because he’s dug himself a hole from which he’ll never escape and the real perpetrators will remain anonymous in the shadows.
From a concerned citizen of Scotland/UK, fully aware that the same path is being followed by our politicians. Genuinely afraid for the future of our countries. Xx