An Attempt at Redemption in the 11th Hour

One question keeps playing over and over in my mind. Was it worth it? Four people are dead. More than 60 people arrested, and 50 police officers injured is the direct result of the onslaught on Capitol Hill. I keep asking myself: Was it worth it?  

As I sat and watched, alongside the rest of the world, Trump followers under the guidance of their (cult) leader, ripped through the Capitol to terrorize Congress members, and attempted to derail the vote to certify President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory. Chaos ensued and members of Congress were forced to shelter in place in order to avoid the dangers that awaited them just outside of their doors. All I could seem to ask is “was it worth it?” Was the violence worth it… a culmination of years of lies and propaganda put forth by the President and backed and promoted by the GOP worth the attempted slaughter of our democracy? 

Here we are, now at the end of an anarchic assault, members now wanting to chastise the President’s inciteful actions and we, the American people, are supposed to just accept that? 

I’m not impressed by the sudden change of heart of those Republican Senators whose intentions were to object to the certification, but now decide to move forward with the vote. I’m not impressed by the statements of Senator Lindsey Graham now wanting to publicly state that President Trump’s actions were reprehensible. The fact that Graham is “embarrassed and disgusted” does not absolve him of his involvement, quite frankly, his redemption song is bullshit. We won’t forget. Americans won’t forget.

I find myself wondering how this country can become unified when those who helped launch this attack will ultimately not see consequences for their actions? Senator Graham, Senator Cruz, Senator Hawley, and the like put themselves and their own political self-interests first.

In two weeks’ time, the nation will usher in a new administration, yet we’re left with members of our government who are just as culpable? What are their consequences for fanning the flames to literally overthrow our democracy? As the calls for Trump’s removal increase, so should the removal of those members of Congress who have aided and abetted him in his thinly veiled attempt to turn our democracy into a totalitarian dictatorship.        

This 11th-hour redemption by GOP members is nothing short of a failed hail mary. I only can assume that these new condemnations come with the hope that the American people will overlook the roles they played in the embarrassment and shameful acts that took place on January 6, 2021. The American people should NEVER FORGET what they tried to do to our democracy. As the new administration prepares to take office on January 20^th, our nation can begin to have hope in our Democracy again.

Similar Read: My Reaction to the Storming of Capitol Hill