Horrific as it seems the mob invasion at Capitol Hill — designed to stall the confirmation of the election of President-elect Jose Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
This reminded me of Hollywood movies that portrayed disorder and chaos in government institutions, which is a far cry from the subtle projections of the respect, decency, decorum for the presidency and other government instrumentalities in television series like “The West Wing,” “Designated Survivor, and “Madam Secretary”, among others.
In a span of hours, the chaos in Washington, seat of Capitol —home to the peoples’ representatives and senators—obliterated the long-held mighty and respectable image of America as the champion of democracy, law and order, transparency, and good governance akin to a “government of, for and by the people” (as elucidated by Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address).
Primemover Trump
The violence was instigated by outgoing President Donald Trump in his message over Twitter when he asked his die-hard supporters to assemble near the White House and march to Capitol Hill, which was then in the process of affirming the final tally from the Electoral College in favor of his rival President-elect Joe Biden.
The attackers, whose faces were mostly hidden by caps and bonnets, stormed into what was supposed to be a heavily-secured venerable institution taking selfies, and strolling as though they were just in the mall.
A man took the liberty of sitting on the chair of Speaker Pelosi with feet up on the table and forcefully removing the wooden name tag on the door of the Speaker’s office. He even tweeted his “accomplishment” for everyone to know.
Immobilized
The mob had a mix of white Americans, immigrants (including many Filipinos who presumably have already been properly documented as American citizens) and Hispanics.
It was a relief that Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram temporarily closed the accounts of Trump so he could not mobilize them.
At the floor of the House of Representatives, debates were highly-emotional but one good outcome of this chaos was that diehard Republican Trump supporters took a dislike for this undemocratic and uncivilized action that shook them away from this mob rule.
And as the voting on Pennsylvania’s objection to the certification of votes by the Electoral College took place, majority negated Pennsylvania’s objections.
Insurrection
President-elect Biden called the mob attack as insurrection, “not a protest or dissent” and asked Trump to step up and make his supporters stop the insanity and go home.
Trump’s Vice President, Mike Pence, enraged after Trump called him a coward and traitor to his cause by presiding over the joint Congressional session, was visibly tired but kept his composure and dignity until the entire validation or affirmation of Biden’s and VP-elect Kamala Harris’ votes ended.
“The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building,” Pence tweeted.
No One Believes Trump Anymore
CNN International panelists opined that “the drama does not end with Biden-Harris confirmation” and that “Trump would not concede until the end but would come up with something drastic”.
Could he be thinking of seceding a state and declaring himself as its head?
I shudder at the thought as this could lead to a bloody civil war.
Even as Trump announced that he would cooperate for a peaceful turnover, political analysts do not believe his word at all, neither do I.
Violent Mob
USA Today wrote that Trump supporters (some clad in police uniforms) gathered at the National Mall earlier Wednesday to protest the November election results as Congress began counting the Electoral College votes with banners and hats of “Make America Great Again” as they smashed windows and scaled the building’s balconies, prompting Vice President Mike Pence to be rushed to a secure location.
During confrontations with security, a woman was shot and taken to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, and there were at least a dozen arrests.
Washington, D.C., police chief Robert J. Contee III said at least 13 people were arrested, and five firearms had been recovered during the pro-Trump protests.
The number of arrests is expected to rise. Police said anyone found on the streets after the 6 p.m.
Resigned!
ET curfew imposed by Mayor Muriel Bowser would be arrested.
Many of Trump’s staff and the Chief of Staff of Melania Trump resigned effective immediately.
I still cannot get over the shock from that mob invasion of the Capitol. But my only hope for peace and decency to return is prayer.
May God bless America.