On the Events on January 6th

[Munditenens Tresplet]

This afternoon, violent terrorists breached the security protocols at the United States Capitol Building in Washington, DC, forcing members of the U.S. Congress to recess, shelter-in-place, and evacuate to secure locations. These terrorists purported themselves to be patriots, stopping the certification of the Electoral College vote which they erroneously believe rests upon an election that was ran in an improper manner.

I felt the need to say something. Four years ago, I attended the Joint Session of Congress' Electoral Vote count, something that I always wanted to see. I attended the Joint Session not to celebrate the person taking office, but to be proud in the peaceful transition of power that is a hallmark of democracy.

I turned on C-SPAN tonight looking forward to watching Congress peaceful take up and strike down the Hail Mary objections by some members who are either out to stroke their own egos or are deluded enough to believe that election fraud occurred on such a significant level as to affect the outcome of even one state, let alone multiple states.

I am sadden and disappointed by the images which came instead. But I'm not shocked or surprised. What many witnessed tonight was not a political protest, but acts of terrorism.

But democracy will prevail.

I had more to say, but I continue to watch the events as they unfold. I hope all Talossans will join me in condemning the violence, regardless of political leanings or beliefs.

[Miestră Schivă, UrN-GC]

It is despicable and disgusting that the Capitol Police seem to have just let the fascist insurrectionists in - compared to, for example, the  militarised response to the Black Lives Matter protests, or the outright murders of Black people arrested for minor offenses which led to those protests. But no-one with a socialist or anarchist critique of policing culture was surprised by what happened to today. Hopefully this will jolt majority, moderate opinion into understanding that there is a culture in US policing (as in many other countries) which is actively sympathetic to white-nationalist, Right-wing violence .

[King Txec]

Today's events were being ridiculous and a National disgrace.

[Éovart Andrinescù]

I fear that if the beacon of liberty goes out in the United States, it will go out everywhere else, including in my own country. The people of the United States, my family among them, are in my prayers.

What scares me about these riots is the distrust in law they represent. Without laws, justly instituted and exercised, we are no better than animals, fodder for tyrants. If we do away with the law, we may discover it can't be regained easily or quickly. The law is our most sacred and precious heritage as human beings. In Exodus chapter 18, Jethro says to Moses:

'You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases before God; teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do. You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set such men over them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their home in peace.' (My emphasis.)

If we have law, then we have our freedom and our peace.

Munditenens, I join you in your condemnation of this despicable intimidation, which represents a total rejection of democratic, constitutional governance on the part of its participants.

[Açafat del Val]

It's time to start putting words into action. The United States needs to stop pontificating about hypocrisy or appearances and just double-down on this. No more white supremacy; no more fascism; no more bending of norms. We are so afraid of looking partisan or biased that we end up being partisan and biased anyways.

No more prayers or thoughts. Impeachments, arrests, recalls, and more.