CAPITOL: ‘Insurrection’ was peaceful
The Rally in Washington, D.C., had a permit and a massive peaceful crowd of 2,500 participated. The protest was not an armed insurrection or the worst thing since the Pearl Harbor Attack (Biden) or since 9/11 (Pelosi).
For example, on July 2, 1915, Erick Munter, a German sympathizer, set off three sticks of dynamite in the Senate reception area; on March 1, 1954, four Puerto Ricans opened fire in the House of Representatives injuring five Representatives (there were no shots or injuries on Jan. 6 except Ashley Babbitt, an unarmed protester shot by a Capitol Police officer); on March 11, 1971, the Weather Underground protesting the Vietnam War, set off bombs in the men’s restroom below the Senate Chamber; on Nov. 7, 1983, Radical Leftists set off a bomb outside the Senate Building causing structural damage equivalent to the Jan. 6 damage; in 1998, a deranged man killed two Capitol officers; and even after the Jan. 6 event, a follower of Louis Farrakhan rammed his car into a barricade killing a Capitol police officer.
And, unfortunately, our Representatives and Senators, on Jan. 6, were shocked, scared, felt terrorized; but they were getting a four-hour taste of what our fellow citizens in major cities (Portland still continuing) have suffered from months of continuing riots which have caused enormous expenses, job loss, fear and police burnout. In fact, the BLM/ANTIFA domestic terror sprees were not condemned by our national leaders (and few arrests were made!).
Presently, 725 protesters have been arrested for the bad actions on Jan. 6, 2021, some kept in solitary confinement and mistreated at the Central Treatment Facility in Washington, D.C. Will they receive justice?
I watched participants walk peacefully (almost welcomed) into the Capitol looking around at the wonderful pictures, architecture. Not everyone was being destructive.
Evidently, 1,400 hours of video have not been released which may direct some light into the intrusion by professional rioters like ANTIFA and BLM into the peaceful Rally.
Meanwhile, the politicalization and vindictiveness continues. Instead of blame or fear, Congress (our servant elected leaders) needs to develop self-responsibility to truth, service and care to we citizens, as well as to justice in this situation.
MARY SMITH
Coeur d’Alene