Like most Americans, I remained quiet but contemplative about the January 6, 2021, assault on the U. S. Capitol for over a year. However, on the anniversary of that fateful day, I was reminded that a group of fellow Americans participated in a violent attempt to prevent the certification of Joseph R. Biden, president-elect.

With dismay, I rewatched on television a vicious group rushing the storied U.S. Capital, a worldwide symbol of democracy. Some in the crowd were chanting, “Hang Mike Pence.” The event was shocking, horrifying, and a flagrant assault on our democratic system. The folks involved behaved unpatriotically and un-American. At a minimum, they should be charged with vandalism, defacing government property, assaulting law enforcement officials, and treason.

Regardless of political ideology, God-loving and peace-loving American patriots do not employ Gestapo tactics to turn the United States of America into a totalitarian state because they disagree with the outcome of a legitimate election. Those who love this great country look for ways to strengthen, not weaken, the republic.

More importantly, those who affirm the assault on the Capital or try to whitewash the attack are as dangerous to the nation as the domestic terrorists who committed the seditious act. Shame on those who refuse to characterize the insurrections as anything other than domestic terrorists – people who used unlawful violence and intimidation against civilians in the pursuit of their personal political agenda.

It seems, integrity, love for this great nation, belief in the value of a democratic system, and concern for the common good, would compel patriotic Americans to call the assault what it was: an attack on American democracy and show by example a more civil way of dealing with political differences.

Unfortunately, too few Americans, especially politicians, have demonstrated the courage and integrity to publicly condemn the insurrection and label the mob participants domestic terrorists.

The 9-11-01 terroristic attack against our nation failed. Instead of destroying the country, America remained strong, and for a time, Americans united to protect the nation’s democratic system. Then the January 6, 2021, sedition happened. Fortunately, like the failed September 11, 2001, attack, the January 6, 2021, assault was unsuccessful. Both failed attacks show democracy works and is more powerful than the ideologies of those trying to cancel it. Despite the January 6 attempt to stop the certification of Joe Biden, president-elect, the duly elected candidate was sworn into office on January 20, 2021.

Long live the United States of America! And may God continue blessing America and protecting the nation from terrorists and anti-democracy zealots.   

NOTE: 01/12/2021 I revised this post. After watching videos and listening to the insurrections state what they want America to be, it seems to me the term totalitarian more appropriately describes the kind of government the insurrections hope to erect.