No Lessons Learned from Jan. 6, 2021

Last Saturday Jan. 6, 2024 was the third anniversary of an historic assault on the nation’s capital by supporters of ex-president Donald Trump who tried to overthrow a presidential election. Not to long ago, this reporter wrote an article asking readers to recall where they were and what they were doing when televised coverage of the riot took place at the Capital. Just like those of us who remember where we were when JFK, and MLK were murdered and when the moon landing occurred, the Challenger incident and yes, even 911, there are still those who want the vast among us to “move on and forget”. Among those that will not move on who keep reminding us of the Big Steal” is Donald Trump and yes, even that Christian who wants to help evildoers escape justice, House Speaker Mike Johnson. How else could one explain releasing tapes of the insurrection of those who assaulted police officers, and deface the Capitol, but blurring the faces of those committing the acts. Somehow that seems like a WWJD question facing a situation where the end result is knowing the truth. We’ll wait for an answer from Johnson that may never come. But as the race to the White House in full swing, Republicans challengers to Trump face a daunting task before them on whether to hold Trump accountable for the attack or go along with conspiracy theories that the government was apart of the attack to “smear” Trump supporters who came out in droves to keep their dear leader in office. One such person who has laid his cards out already is Ron DeSantis on where he stands. Instead of attacking Trump for his actions in regard to Jan. 6, he attacks the Democrats for not letting Jan. 6 go away. DeSantis who appears to be down to “two of his nine lives” in the polls and allegedly behind Nikki Haley, told Republicans at a recent gathering that Democrats were trying to smear Trump supporters because of the work done by the Jan. 6 committee that was controlled by Democrats. How can someone be “smeared” by facts? Maybe DeSantis forgot about seeing defiant Republican senator Josh Hawley giving a fist salute to Trump supporters on Jan. 6, only to be seen running for his life on video supplied by Democrats (and the two Republicans) showing Hawley literally running for his life when those “tourists” became rioters.

Here we are three years later where a Republican presidential challenger will still not acknowledge that Trump should bear the responsibility of Jan. 6 because it was a gathering of Republicans summoned by him, not Democrats. DeSantis, like the other contenders did not want to see President Biden talk about Jan. 6 last Saturday because Trump’s name would be mentioned. Can you imagine what DeSantis and even Trump would say if President Biden let the 911 anniversary come/go without mentioning it? But let’s not talk about Jan. 6 because that is dividing the nation. But for DeSantis and perhaps others to follow, the thing to do is attack President Biden as “failing” to unite the nation in the wake of Jan. 6. DeSantis wants to “move on” and talk about the issues that affect Americans. President Biden has been trying to get Republicans in Congress to help solve the issues, but whoever occupies the Speaker’s role is being handcuffed by Trump MAGA allies who do not believe in compromise. Unless there is compromise somewhere in the equation, there can be no unity. America is being called upon to help solve problems that other nations face, while the world watches this nation’s leaders walk in opposite directions. For a while, 911 did unite the nation because this nation was attacked by foreign enemies. On Jan. 6, it was domestic enemies. We have seen that even the mightiest of nations doesn’t have to fall from outside forces, but from those who have a lust for power, that they are willing to get “brother against brother” fight a battle where eventually there won’t be any winners. We didn’t learn from the Civil War. Jan. 6 appears to be no different. Remember, the world is watching. So is God.