January 6, 2021 Capitol of the United States
Overnight, Jan. 7, 2021, 6:40 a.m.: The Thinking Here, from Just Above Sunset, comments on the aftermath of Jan. 6.
Personally, while I’ve not been a frequent visitor to D.C. I’d guess there have been more than a dozen trips there over the years, usually for several days, always visiting the federal area – an inspirational place for me. The rest is editorial.
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Jan. 6, 2021, 4 p.m. CST: random TV screen shots I took. Words are superfluous.
A snapshot from many years ago, probably 1970s about sunset, taken by myself on an early visit to Washington D.C. It has hung on my home office wall for many years.
COMMENTS (more at end of post):
PRENOTE: In previous recent blogs I have recommended an on-point film available on-line, which will be discussed in an on-line zoom call the evening of Jan. 17 (7 p.m. CST. Details here (scroll down to Third Thursday Global Films ….)
from Jim: The US has been humiliated. And the world has lost much ground toward a just world peace. Just one of the grave consequences of the Trump administration. But we know the arc of history is not smooth.
from Laura: Sad as can be, Dick. My heart hurts.
Minneapolis Star Tribune ‘above the fold’ Jan. 7, 2021.
from Marion: Something must be done. Now!
from Norm: Sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that tends toward rebellion against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent toward, or rebellion against, established authority. Sedition may include any commotion, though not aimed at direct and open violence against the laws. Seditious words in writing are seditious libel. A seditionist is one who engages in or promotes the interest of sedition.
More from Norm: The next two weeks will be very tough as well as critical for America as well as for the Dems and Biden/Harris unless Trump is placed under the lock and key of CM#25.
from Flo: I kept saying to myself, is this for real?! It was truly horrifying. My greatest fear is the havoc that Trump and his supporters will continue to create. A split Congress is not a good way for Biden to start his tenure as President, for sure!
from Molly:I tried to respond to your post last night, but found I was writing my way into trying to understand or make sense or a future of the mess, instead of writing an actual note.
I call attention to the woman in the stocking cap on which you can see “TRU..” Who is she? Why was she there? What was she thinking then? What is she thinking now? Where is her home?
Every insurgent in that building will be in some photograph. Anybody with a mobile phone who sent out a text or a photo likely has identified him or herself by their exact location at the time of the call – you don’t need to watch many crime shows to learn that. Unlike in the old days, those folks trespassing the Capitol cannot melt into the neighborhood. They are not anonymous.
A long-time friend of mine had a brief e-mail exchange with me on Jan. 5. He apparently did not like my post, “Armageddon“, and was asking to be removed from my distribution list. No problem (he was one of three so requesting, out of a total list of about 500).
I responded to him, sending a copy of our single sheet “thread” of four brief e-mails, which occurred entirely on Jan 5, at 8:13 a.m., 3:17 p.m., 5:45 p.m. and 6:33 p.m. I sent my friend the printout of our thread.
Our exchange was completely respectful – we have been friends for many years. The only point: the entire thread between us occurred before the polls closed in Georgia on Jan. 5, and obviously before Jan. 6. Likely there are many legally defensible records of such electronic communications on Jan. 6.
But, as I say, all of this will take months if not longer to sort out, and the tragedy of Jan. 6 needs to be pursued.
There will be justice. Each of us need to be ‘on the court’.
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Sunday, January 10, 2021: We remain in post-2020 election history. Rather than new posts about this, any continuing commentary, until inauguration of President Biden on Jan. 20, 2021, will be included below, at this space.
In the interim, I strongly recommend the 2011 film, The Wave, about a teacher’s experiment with authoritarianism. Details here (scroll down to Third Thursday Film). Watch on your own, and if you wish, RSVP to join the discussion Thursday evening Jan 21, 7-8 p.m. Please note, there are other films with the same name and topic, The discussion will be based on the 2011 film, which is in German, with subtitles. You can find more versions at YouTube. I believe there is a film rental cost of $3.99.
This morning, the Minneapolis Star Tribune headline was stark and clear, about January 6: “A Nation left violated. America forced to face threat from within”. It dominated the front page, along with a photo with the now infamous hangman’s noose framing the Capitol dome in the background. As a nation, we need to face ourselves. We are, after all, the individuals who ultimately decide our fate. Those who desecrated the U.S. Capitol thought they represented all of us.
Also, this morning, a friend sent a short film from the U.S. military from the year 1947. It is also powerful. Take a look, here. You’ll note there is an entire menu of choices. The one I watched is the second one on the menu, about 2 minutes, presented in the wake of Charlottesville Va in 2017.
Authoritarianism was in fashion in Minnesota and other places in 1930s U.S. I still have copies of a 32 page insert to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in October which I would be glad to send on request so long as I have copies available. Post here.
Monday, Jan. 11, 2021: Just Above Sunset, “Our Home-Grown Fascism”.
Much of 60 Minutes last night was also devoted to the insurrection.
Like many, I wonder how many people were at the Presidential event and the following attempt at insurrection. The most reasonable analysis I’ve seen thus far is here (maybe 10,000 maximum). For perspective, the population of the United States is 330,000,000. This is not intended to minimize the problem, just to give initial perspective.
Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021: A Little Reality Slipping In. Just Above Sunset.
Re “white nationalists’ by whatever their name, here is an article from US News and World Report in late Sep. 2000 – the year before 9-11. It is worth rereading: USNews 9-25-2000001
The American Abyss by Timothy Snyder, New York Times Magazine Jan. 9, 2021 is very well worth your time. This is lengthy (15 pages printed). Here is a pdf of the article (click to enlarge): American Abyss NYTimes Mag
Wednesday, Jan. 13 2021: Living Through History, Just Above Sunset.
This seems a good time to repost my blogs of August 1 and 2, 2020, on the D’s (Democrats), and the T’s (Republicans). I post them without any changes to either.
Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021: Yesterday, President Trump was impeached for the second time. There have been only four actual impeachments of Presidents in all of U.S. history. I began a blog post on this last night. You can pick up, comment, whatever, there. I will save the editorial for there.
Sunday, Jan. 14, 2021: America has had its own ‘beer hall putsch”
Pathetic! Just pathetic! Apparently, in the minds of those haters of America including the POTUS, if he wins, then everything worked find but if he loses as he has done this time around, then he claims that he lost as a result of election fraud regardless of the evidence that none existed. What a pathetic, insecure, ignorant, arrogant, narcissistic, draft-dodging bull of a man-child! Just pathetic!!!
This started with Limbaugh and his ilk. Hannity, many others including our garbage right-wing extremist talk shows in Fargo. When the Equal Time Doctrine was repealed during the Reagan administration, then two sides of any issue were not required to be discussed. This enabled the Limbaughs to build audience and their financial position by simply pandering to the worst among us in America. And the worst of us loved these “talk show hosts,” still do. This gave birth to supporters who put Trump in office. And this mentally deranged, personality disordered jerk couldn’t stand his ego being so damaged by a “loss” he had to be a scorched earth igniter as he leaves office. If we had the time, now with a Senate that would convict, he should be impeached right now. The gain would be he could not run again if convicted. But, alas, we just want him GONE. Trouble is, Florida doesn’t want him, Scotland doesn’t want him, and his kids are persona non grata in NYC. The days count down to the 20th kinda like the game clock when the Vikings are leading by a field goal with only a few minutes left in the game. But that clock grinds down SO slowly. I don’t want to wish my life away but I wish the 20th would get her sooner!
Trump will undoubtedly have a “peoples inauguration” starting about 11:30 on the 20th with him reelected. He will use that as proof that he, not Biden, is the true President. What he might do in the following 1/2 hour is too scary to imagine.