Wednesday, January 13, 2021

The Trump Led Insurrection of 2021

The entirety of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment reads as follows:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

This single sentence is often used to justify or otherwise support all kinds of objections and actions on behalf of individuals. However, on its face, this amendment only states what the Government cannot do. It does not address the limits placed on individuals, corporations, media, or free press.

If Twitter cancels your account – it is NOT protected by the first amendment. Just because you are free to say whatever you want, does not mean anyone is obligated to publish or reference it.

If a social media publisher wants to promote hate, false conspiracies or civil disobedience, there is no law that says internet providers must carry the content. And any call to violence can completely nullify the first amendment protections for the individual as well. Such calls could also endanger the content provider as a coconspirator.

In January of 2021, a sitting U.S. President incited a large group of followers (peacefully assembled at that point) in a D.C. rally with lies asserting the 2020 elections that removed him from office were not free and fair elections. He told them to march to the Capital building to affect the outcome of the proceedings there (Congress was in the process of validating the electoral collage results that would place Joe Biden in the Presidency). They did as they were instructed.

A significant faction of those assembled were carrying confederate flags, Nazi signs, battle flags; wearing protective gear, war paint, costumes, with some sporting zip-tie restraints for use on – who knows. The crowd – feeling justified by a sitting president - stormed the capital while congress was in session and killed a police officer, damaged & stole property, broke windows, smashed furnishings, threatened the lives of law makers and the Vice President, and occupied offices and chambers of lawmakers. The lawmakers themselves were escorted to safe rooms and guarded by a small contingent of Capital Police and secret service personnel.

During the hours-long siege Capital security attempted to get National Guard and other reinforcements to expel the invaders. But requests were denied or ignored by the Trump administration.

Four people died before security could be restored. A second police officer died from injuries days later. A mostly white mob, few arrests were made. Those that were arrested, were arrested on misdemeanor charges. Several photos were circulated of some Capital Police officers smiling and taking pictures with the insurgents prior to violence breaking out.

In stark contrast to peaceful Blank Lives Matter protests in 2020 that Trump ordered dispersed by military force (that included Blackhawk helicopters and tear gas), the Capital siege was a stark reminder of the White privilege that persists and stains this nation.

While vile and treacherous, the storming of the Capital is not the real story here. It is a symptom rather than a cause. While bringing the mob leaders of this action to justice is a priority for law enforcement nationwide, the real burden of fixing this so it does not happen again, is in the hands of We The People.  

The real leaders of this abomination were NOT Trump or his family, it was the congressional representatives and senators that perpetrated, and gave legitimacy to, Trump’s lies about the election. They had the power to shut him down in November of 2020 by disavowing his paranoid delusions of widespread election fraud. They did not. They sat silent, or, as in the case of several GOP leaders, actively supported Trump’s lies and deceit.

Long after dozens of investigations, lawsuits, recounts, local audits, and electoral certifications – the election results in all the states that Trump objected to were upheld. This was the opportunity that the GOP leaders missed. So enamored by Trump’s effect on his white nationalist base following, these legislators could not free themselves from their own self-interest long enough to do what was right for America.

A list of those that supported claims that this was the first election in American history that was not fair and free, follows. They all need to lose their appointments. To be voted out of office if they cannot be expelled by the GOP altogether. To make matters worse, these legislators sided with Trump AFTER the Capital riot was quelled:

Republican Senators who supported Trump’s lies & claims of unfair election:

Ted Cruz (TX)
Josh Hawley (MO)
Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS)
Cynthia Lummis (WY)
John Kennedy (LA)
Roger Marshall (KS)
Rick Scott (FL)
Tommy Tuberville (AL)

Republican House Representatives who supported Trump’s lies & claims of unfair election:

Robert Aderholt (AL)
Rick Allen (GA)
Jodey Arrington (TX)
Brian Babin (TX)
Jim Baird (IN)
Jim Banks (IN)
Cliff Bentz (OR)
Jack Bergman (MI)
Stephanie Bice (OK)
Andy Biggs (AZ)
Dan Bishop (NC)
Lauren Boebert (CO)
Mike Bost (IL)
Mo Brooks (AL)
Ted Budd (NC)
Tim Burchett (TN)
Michael Burgess (TX)
Ken Calvert (CA)
Kat Cammack (FL)
Jerry Carl (AL)
Buddy Carter (GA)
John Carter (TX)
Madison Cawthorn (NC)
Steve Chabot (OH)
Ben Cline (VA)
Michael Cloud (TX)
Andrew Clyde (GA)
Tom Cole (OK)
Rick Crawford (AR)
Warren Davidson (OH)
Scott DesJarlais (TN)
Mario Diaz-Balart (FL)
Byron Donalds (FL)
Jeff Duncan (SC)
Neal Dunn (FL)
Ron Estes (KS)
Pat Fallon (TX)
Michelle Fischbach (MN)
Scott Fitzgerald (WI)
Chuck Fleischmann (TN)
Virginia Foxx (NC)
Scott Franklin (FL)
Russ Fulcher (ID)
Matt Gaetz (FL)
Mike Garcia (CA)
Bob Gibbs (OH)
 

Louie Gohmert (TX)
Bob Good (VA)
Lance Gooden (TX)
Paul Gosar (AZ)
Garret Graves (LA)
Sam Graves (MO)
Mark Green (TN)
Marjorie Greene (GA)
Morgan Griffith (VA)
Michael Guest (MS)
Jim Hagedorn (MN)
Andy Harris (MD)
Diana Harshbarger (TN)
Vicky Hartzler (MO)
Kevin Hern (OK)
Yvette Herrell (NM)
Jody Hice (GA)
Clay Higgins (LA)
Richard Hudson (NC)
Darrell Issa (CA)
Ronny Jackson (TX)
Chris Jacobs (NY)
Mike Johnson (LA)
Bill Johnson (OH)
Jim Jordan (OH)
John Joyce (PA)
Fred Keller (PA)
Trent Kelly (MS)
Mike Kelly (PA)
David Kustoff (TN)
Doug LaMalfa (CA)
Doug Lamborn (CO)
Jacob LaTurner (KS)
Debbie Lesko (AZ)
Billy Long (MO)
Barry Loudermilk (GA)
Frank Lucas (OK)
Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO)
Nicole Malliotakis (NY)
Tracey Mann (KS)
Brian Mast (FL)
Kevin McCarthy (CA)
Lisa McClain (MI)
Daniel Meuser (PA)
Mary Miller (IL)
Carol Miller (WV)
 

Alex Mooney (WV)
Barry Moore (AL)
Markwayne Mullin (OK)
Gregory Murphy (NC)
Troy Nehls (TX)
Ralph Norman (SC)
Devin Nunes (CA)
Jay Obernolte (CA)
Burgess Owens (UT)
Steven Palazzo (MS)
Gary Palmer (AL)
Greg Pence (IN)
Scott Perry (PA)
August Pfluger (TX)
Bill Posey (FL)
Guy Reschenthaler (PA)
Tom Rice (SC)
Mike Rogers (AL)
Hal Rogers (KY)
John Rose (TN)
Matt Rosendale (MT)
David Rouzer (NC)
John Rutherford (FL)
Steve Scalise (LA)
David Schweikert (AZ)
Pete Sessions (TX)
Jason Smith (MO)
Adrian Smith (NE)
Lloyd Smucker (PA)
Elise Stefanik (NY)
Greg Steube (FL)
Chris Stewart (UT)
Glenn Thompson (PA)
Tom Tiffany (WI)
William Timmons (SC)
Jefferson Van Drew (NJ)
Beth Van Duyne (TX)
Tim Walberg (MI)
Jackie Walorski (IN)
Randy Weber (TX)
Daniel Webster (FL)
Roger Williams (TX)
Joe Wilson (SC)
Rob Wittman (VA)
Ron Wright (TX)
Lee Zeldin (NY)
Carlos Gimenez (FL)
 

 

 

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