It's THAT day. The day they should have unceremoniously read the certified election results from all 50 states. A footnote at the bottom of every news site. Nothing special. But of course, that's not what happened.
So, we all know what happened on January 6, right? I watched in horror like the rest of you. Here's the thing about the Trump presidency, I tried to give it a fair chance. I went to a rally (and was horrified by what I saw- but I hoped he was just using these people to get elected), and I went to the ingauration.
And I just went back to look at that blog, and this is what I wrote, back in January 2017 after being at the inauguration: "But it was there, and it was loud. It wasn't just a few, it was like being in an angry mob." And when I think back on that, and everything I saw, everytime I was around a group of of Trump supporters. I should have been less shocked. It was like being in an angry mob. Four years ago. WHEN THEY WON. That mob only simmered for four years. On Wednesday it finally boiled over. Of course it was going to get out of hand if they lost. And what we saw on January 6, with Trump supporters storming the capitol building was more than getting out of hand. It was an attack. It was an insurrection. I'm shocked not more people were killed.
I honestly never thought it would come to this. I was IN that kind of crowd before, and I STILL always thought the people who talked about how it would come to this as "alarmists", but now, man. I have come to see how truly radicalized Trump, Fox News, and every person who fed into this made these Trump supporters. I used to think they were just easily manipulated. But, now I see it as radicalized. And it's scary.
This whole thing is crazy. I took a ton of screen shots that day. Unable to look away from everything: the horrific pictures, the damage done to the building. The brought the God damn CONFEDERATE FLAG into the Capitol building. IN 2021!Just HOW this could happen.
But then there's the fact that Democracy carried on, despite Trump's best efforts, despite all these people. Just, I don't have words for everything that happened- but I felt the need to compile all these pictures.
Still, I am writing this on the last day Trump is in office. And I'm breathing a sigh of relief. I think about where we were four years ago tonight- getting our patriotic sweatshirts, my Alexander Hamilton socks (before I even know how much I loved Alexander Hamilton), and my Love Trumps Hate button out to wear to go support Democracy and the peaceful transfer of power. We hoped for the best, and braced ourselves for the worst. But we had no idea what the worst would be. An Economy in shambles, 400,000 Americans dead in a Pandemic that has been nothing short of chaotic and politicized, an election 45% of Republicans believe was rigged and fresh off an insurrection of the United States Capitol. I just don't know I could comprehend it all. And that's just the last year. I don't even have it in me to go back and think about everything else he did: the way he treated BLM peaceful protesters, the way he filled the swamp, the corruption, the racism, the treatment of immigrants.
See to me, having Trump as my president has felt like being in an emotionally abusive relationship you just can't get out of. He tweets bullshit, so you try and block him. But all your friends are going to tell you what he's up to anyway. He does damage, metaphorically breaks some windows, and it's jarring, but you think 'hey, this could be so much worse'. People talk about breaking up with him, and condemn his actions. But he never faces any actual consequences. He apologizes WAY too late, and only because he's "supposed to". You think maybe this time he's changed. But soon enough he's back to his own ways (teleprompter Trump is not real Trump). And maybe he apologized, but he never took responsibility. His actions speak 100 times louder than his words. But everyone still puts up with it.
You guys know how much I love history. To me, it's SO FUN to teach. It's stories- full of lessons. Lessons we NEED to learn from to make every generation better from the last. It's much more than dates and battles. It's a playbook.
But when I look at Trump, as bias as I may be, I just don't see how historically he goes down as anything less than the absolute worst president. Who's worse? Nixon? Well, Nixon resigned. FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY? James Buchanan? He did fail to stop the Civil War from coming, but some could argue Trump incited one. Andrew Johnson? The first president to be impeached? WELL TRUMP WAS IMPEACHED TWICE NOW!
See, I think Trump is probably most like Andrew Johnson. They're both racist, arrogant assholes. Sure, Andrew Johnson was born dirt poor (so at least he has that 'anyone can be president vibe), but other than that their similarities are numerous. But here's what Trump had, that Andy Johnson didn't (besides money): A complicit Congress.
Trump has had SO MANY enablers. One guy couldn't do this. He needed help. And I'm sorry, I'm not applauding Mitch McConnel for getting off the train right before it crashed. (I literally said that BEFORE the Capitol was broken into while Mitch was announcing how the election wasn't stolen- which he could have said for the last two months!) Then of course the train did crash: Trump supporters breached the Capitol, and more Republicans went walking away from the wreckage. Lindsey Graham got up there to say "Count me out!" (Of course some are hopping back ON the train two weeks later, which I also just can't wrap my head around). Still, my point remains: Trump had help. And lots of it.
But history is written by the winners. And you know who isn't a winner? Trump. He lost the popular vote, not once, but TWICE. (Yes, I know 74 million people voted for him, but 81 million voted against him). He lost the House at midterms. He lost the White House. And then his shenanigans' lost him the Senate. Because as we all watched the Capitol get trashed, the Georgia Senate races were called: BOTH for the Democrats. (Credit: Stacy Abrams- but also Donald Trump). Dude even lost his Twitter account, and basically ANY social media account that exists. He can't even friggen pin to Pintrest, people.
He's a president that suffered two impeachments; the second with more bipartisan support than any other impeachment in US history. Who knows what the Senate will decide when it goes to trail. His impeachments, are also much more dangerous crimes. Somehow I think lying under oath about an affair, or firing your Secretary of War is less of an issue than colluding with a foreign government and INCITING A GOD DAMN INSURRECTION.
Honestly, I don't know how he goes down as anything other than the worst. And hey, at least I have some good stories from my brushes with Trump supporters. But, man. This has been one hell of a four years- and two weeks. Again, history is WAY funner to teach than to live through. And you know, I'm not really even worried about him in four years. I don't think he'd win. He's never really "won". And that insurrection won't help. Grover Cleveland has been trending a couple of times in the last few weeks, for his two non-consecutive terms. But, everyone fails to note Cleveland won the popular vote THREE straight times.
So on the last night that Trump will ever be president, I say good-freaking riddance. I cannot wait until noon tomorrow when our long national nightmare is over. I am stoked to turn the page. The Biden Administration won't be the end all be all. They'll do things that I disagree with. But, they'll lead with empathy. And at least do their best to do what they believe is best for everyone. And we all really need that right now.
And truth be told, I am also just so excited for Kamala Harris. Because woman finally have a seat at the table. And that is amazing.
So, below are my screenshots from January 6, no caption necessary, right? And then beyond all that, you'll find our day-by-day recap.
And the library has curbside too!
Day 302, Saturday January 9
No comments:
Post a Comment