Anniversary. January 6 was Monday. A reader asked my opinion of the events four years ago. I had not deeply considered the issue so I did some pondering.
I have readers who have shared with me a broad range of opinions about what happened in Washington four years ago.
Some think it was an insurrection and Trump should have been impeached.
At the other end of the political spectrum some believe that the event was a riot but not an insurrection. They believe it is a riot similar to the riots that happened in the wake of the George Floyd killing. They believe the rioters are not being treated fairly because they are being prosecuted at a more vigorous level that George Floyd rioters.
Some readers have pointed to a clip by Tucker Carlson that shows the Shaman being treated peacefully as evidence it was not an insurrection. I watched the video and then videos of other areas of the Capitol. The other videos were violent.
The contrast reminded me of what I read one day in my Phillip Yancy devotional. The pivotal battle of WWII was the Battle of the Bulge. Yancy reported that during the Battle of the Bulge some soldiers reported playing cards in a peaceful area. They expressed surprise it was a pivotal battle. It was not their experience. Being peaceful in one area does not mean it was not a battle.
Jeny’s father was captured in the Battle of the Bulge and spent eight months in a POW camp. I doubt he would think the battle was not serious just because some soldiers were peacefully playing cards.
I am comfortable with the concept that on January 6 doors were opened for some people while something far more serious was going on elsewhere. They are related in time but independent in other ways. Just like the soldiers in the Battle of the Bulge.
I further investigated and the Shaman expressed regret for his action and served time even though he was in a calmer situation.
The key for me is in the title for the event: Stop the Steal. Not protest the outcome, but Stop the Steal. I believe Trump and his advisors are intelligent. I think they carefully chose their words. I think those words have clear meanings.
Stop is simple– halt, cease, quit etc. The claim was since the election was stolen some people believed they were patriots for attempting to stop the transition of power to Biden. It is clear they were attempting to stop what the believed to be a steal.
As further evidence that people were wanting to stop the transition of power to Biden, people wanted Mike Pence to violate the constitution. I was unfamiliar with constitution so I looked up the 12th Amendment. It reads “The President of the Senate shall in the presence of the Senate and the House of Representatives open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted.” I am not a constitutional attorney but in simple language the requirement seems clear to me. Failure to follow that requirement would be a violation of the constitution.
I learned a pre-built gallows was brought to the disturbance and people chanted “Hang Mike Pence.” A premeditated act that I believe is further evidence of the desire to interfere in the transition of power.
As further evidence of whether the disturbance was a simple riot or an actual attempt to stop a steal, alternative electors were illegally developed. Submitting alternative electors is an attempt to interfere with the peaceful transition of power to Biden.
I understand the context that if a person believes the election was stolen then in their minds they are justfied in interferring with the peaceful transition of power. But that makes it even clearer to me — the intent of some people was not a simple protest but an interference in the election process.
I also understand many of the people were not engaging in an insurrection. They were caught up in the excitement of mob mentality.
The Proud Boys and Oath Keepers on the other hand, performed premeditated attacks on the Capital based on the claim they were responding to their commander in chief. The election was stolen, stop the steal.
For those who do not believe the election was stolen, the name of the rally has one meaning — stop the election, stop the peaceful transition of power.
In an attempt to make my point of the serious nature of the disturbance, consider this imaginary situation. This year when the Congress met and Kamala opened the ballots. if she held an activity called Stop the Liar, appointed alternative electors, refused to open the ballots, and Antifa led a riot in the same way as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, what would Fox News and the Republican Party be calling the activities?
What would they be saying if she called it a love fest, claiming the people were patriots, and she intended to pardon any rioters.
Of course, there would be an outcry because Trump won the election. I would join the outcry. I would not support those actions.
I hope even the most passionate Trump supporters would give serious thought to the imaginary situation and gain understanding about why those of us who do not believe the last election was stolen would be deeply upset by the events of January 6, 2021.
The definition of insurrection is an act of revolting against a civil authority. I have not called the events an insurrection. However, I do however not think of it as a big stretch or terrible that some think of it in that manner.
Again, think about what it was called – Stop the Steal. Since there was no steal, it means stop the election. Stopping an election is a revolt against a civil authority.
I repeat — I have called it a disturbance, but Stop the Steal is a call to interfere with the peaceful transition of power. To me attempting to bypass the Constitution, forming alternative electors, and threatening the Vice-president and members of Congress are serious issues beyond a simple riot.
This and That
The pursuit of truth. I had no idea that the claim of a prayer by Thomas Jefferson was incorrect until Speaker Johnson was called on it. Please note the source is not the main stream media.
Speaker Mike Johnson wrongly attributes prayer to Thomas Jefferson – Baptist News Global
Just a thought. I do not know much about him, but I do not think I would award a Medal of Freedom to George Soros.
Good News
HaHa
A good friend has been sending me some very clever puns. I will share them from time to time as good news
What do you call Alaskan eye doctors?
Optical Aleutians.
Courage
Heart-Stopping Rescue: Woman Saves Man Who Fell Through The Ice
Generosity
‘He Changed My Life’: Post Malone Surprises Single Mom With $20,000 Tip
Bus Driver Saves Day By Getting Pajamas For Boy Who Needed Them
Peace
Jerry
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