We can be shocked by the events of January 6th, but we shouldn’t have been surprised. Anger and cynicism toward the Federal government has been stoked by conservative media and the Republican Party since at least Ronald Reagan.
History will rightly remember today’s violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation. But we’d be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise. Right now, Republican leaders have a choice made clear in the desecrated chambers of democracy. They can continue down this road and keep stoking the raging fires. Or they can choose reality and take the first steps toward extinguishing the flames. They can choose America.
Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States
In the morning, there was a rally on the “Ellipse” near the White House. During his speech, Rudy Giuliani, literally told the crowd to become violent.
So over the next ten days, we get to see the machines that are crooked, the ballots that are fraudulent. And if we are wrong we will be made fools of. But if we are right, a lot of them will go to jail. So let’s have trial by combat! I’m willing to stake my reputation, the president is willing to stake his reputation on the fact that we’re going to find criminality there.
Rudy Giuliani, Attorney for Donald J. Trump, inciting violence
During his speech, Donald Trump told the crowd to march on the Capitol — specifically for the purpose of changing the minds of the “weak Republicans.”
We will never give up; we will never concede. We will stop the steal. We’re going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue, and we’re going to the Capitol…We’re going to try and give our Republicans, the weak ones…the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country.
Donald J. Trump, instructing his mob to march
The mob arrived at the Capitol with guns, mace, tasers, flex cuffs, and a gallows. They were recorded chanting, “Hang Mike Pence.” Inside, the Senate and the House had just begun their separate debates on the Republican objection to accepting the Electoral Votes of Arizona.
Today’s violent assault on our Capitol, an effort to subjugate American democracy by mob rule, was fomented by Mr. Trump. His use of the Presidency to destroy trust in our election and to poison our respect for fellow citizens has been enabled by pseudo political leaders whose names will live in infamy as profiles in cowardice.
Jim Mattis, Former Secretary of Defense
The insurrectionists forced their way into the building and eventually broke into the Senate chamber, Senators (and House members at the other end of the building) had just been escorted to safety. Fortunately, some wise and brave staff members brought the boxes containing the Electoral College ballots with them.
This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic — not our democratic republic. I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement. The violent assault on the Capitol — and disruption of a Constitutionally-mandated meeting of Congress — was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes.
George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States
While the mob was vandalizing the Capitol, President-elect Biden, was in Wilmington, Delaware about to give a speech on the economy. He quickly changed the topic of his speech and called on Trump to do something to stop the violence.
I call on President Trump to go on national television now, to fulfill his oath and defend the constitution and demand an end to this siege.
Joseph R. Biden, President-elect of the United States
A while later, Trump released a video to tell the rioters to “go home,” “we have to have peace.” Yet, in the same video, he continued to stoke their anger by repeating his false claim that the election was fraudulent.
I know your pain. I know your hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election and everyone knows it– especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have Law and Order. We have to respect our great, people in Law and Order. We don’t want anybody hurt. It’s a very tough period of time. There’s never been a time like this where such a thing happened, where they could take it away, from all of us — from me, from you from our country. This was a fraudulent election. But we can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You’re very special. You’ve seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil I know how you feel. But go home.
Donald J. Trump, sending a mixed message
This type of mixed-message, non-denial denial is typical of Trump. He loves to create chaos in a way that gives him an escape route. This time he seems to finally be getting the blame for the chaos he caused.
Today we faced an unprecedented assault on our Capitol, our Constitution, and our country. The assault was fueled by more than four years of poison politics spreading deliberate misinformation, sowing distrust in our system, and pitting Americans against one another. The match was lit by Donald Trump and his most ardent enablers, including many in Congress, to overturn the results of an election he lost.
Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
Later, after the Capitol was secured and cleaned up a bit, Congress got back to the job of counting the Electoral Votes. Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney accurately summarized what had happened that day.
We gather today due to a selfish man’s injured pride and the outrage of his supporters whom he has deliberately misinformed for the past two months and stirred to action this very morning. What happened here today was an insurrection, incited by the President of the United States. Those who choose to continue to support his dangerous gambit by objecting to the results of a legitimate, democratic election will forever be seen as being complicit in an unprecedented attack against our democracy. They will be remembered for their role in this shameful episode in American history. That will be their legacy.
Mitt Romney, US Senator from Utah
The American people need to be much more careful in who we elect to any political office. The country will certainly heave a sigh of relief on the day Joe Biden is inaugurated. Yet the 2020 voters also re-elected obstructionist Mitch McConnell and Trump sycophant Lindsay Graham.
We need to look infinitely harder at who we elect to any office in our land — at the office seeker’s character, at their morals, at their ethical record, their integrity, their honesty, their flaws, what they have said about women, and minorities, why they are seeking office in the first place, and only then consider the policies they espouse.
John R. Kelly, former White House Chief of Staff
Only the future will tell if the citizens of the United States will learn from the events of January 6th, 2021 and change their behavior for the better.
Author’s Note
Forty-three photos from that day are available online from NBC News4 Washington here. They are a shocking visual record of a dark day in our history.
Sources
Igor Derysh, “Rudy Giuliani called for “trial by combat” and then chaos descended on Capitol Hill,” Salon, January 6, 2021.
David Z. Morris, “‘We will never concede’: How Donald Trump incited an attack on America,” Fortune, January 7, 2021.
Paul LeBlanc, “The four living former presidents deride US Capitol breach in pointed statements,” CNN, January 7, 2021.
Caroline Kennedy, et al., “Romney: ‘What happened here today was an insurrection, incited by the President’,” CNN, January 6, 2021.
Lara Seligman, “Mattis blames Trump for inciting ‘mob rule’,” Politico, January 6, 2021.
Philip Rucker, et al., “Aides consider resignations, removal options as Trump rages against perceived betrayals,” The Washington Post (as reprinted in The Seattle Times), January 7, 2021.
Joe Biden, “Joe Biden Speech Condemning Capitol Protest Transcript,” Rev, January 6, 2021.
Clint Smith, “The Whole Story in a Single Photo,” The Atlantic, January 8, 2021.
Anisa Holmes, “Photos: Trump Supporters Gather, President Incites Chaos in DC,” NBC News4 Washington, January 8, 2021.
Amen. It was a traumatic day, sad in that everyone could see it coming and that the people most surprised were the capitol security forces. Despite requests for help beforehand, none was granted. So where BLM marchers met concentrations of enthusiastically violent soldiers, the capitol security was all too swiftly overwhelmed. The irony of the signature line of Trump’s bizarre inauguration speech is inescapable. “American carnage stops here.” And “Only I can save you.” But like Amalekiah who flattered so many, who had hatred preached from towers, who disputed and rejected the legitimate voice of the people, and convinced many in the church, he did not go down to battle himself, and cares nothing for the blood of his people. Thus we “see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause.”
You censored my earlier comment, so let me ask again, Why won’t the Brethren call for Trump’s removal?
Lew, I did not “censor” anything. Your earlier comment from January 11, 2021 is right where you put it – below the blog post entitled “Will the Republicans be able to escape Trumpism?” dated December 28, 2019.
Sorry Brian. I beginning to get desperate which may explain my response. We are facing the final days of this republic and our church leaders are missing in action. I’ve about had it.
The Deseret News of Utah should be terminated because of its refusal to demand the resignation of a would be fascist dictator Donald Trump!
So, can you believe this, the Deseret News editorial page has asked Joe Biden to pardon Donald Trump!!!!! This is a fantastic outrage!!! What is the matter with LDS owned media? Indeed what is the matter with its ownership?!! Check this out if you dare.
Here is a link to the Deseret News “Featured Opinion” mentioned by Lew Jeppson above. The writer, Jay Evensen is an editorial writer for the paper and a member of the Editorial Board. However, it may be important to note that this opinion piece is NOT listed as a Deseret News editorial. It was NOT credited as written by the “Deseret News Editorial Board.”
I’ve been a subscriber to this website for about a year now.
As someone who is not of the LDS faith but was born raised and still live in Utah it saddens me that LDS church leaders took so long to condemn the violence in our nation’s capital.
But even more troubling is how they did not admonish members of our congressional delegation to Washington and many in the state legislator of the LDS faith who for the past four years who have supported the President’s terrible behavior.
Many times in the past church leaders have publicly expressed their views on many issues yet chose to remain silent on what is clearly a moral issue.
I want to make clear I am not bashing the LDS faith and respect and try to live many of the tenants it teaches.
But from an outsiders view the church’s looses not only it’s moral high ground but respect from those not of the LDS faith.
I say this from my experience from conversations with people not of the LDS faith and it’s a shame.
Fact, if Republican’s around the country of all faiths has denounced and taken their support away from the soon to be ex-President when he first took office the tragedy that occurred in our nation’s capital would have never taken place.