Participating in an Insurrection does not make you a "Noble Patriot"

Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick who was killed in the January 6, 2021 Capitol Riot

Can you can look in the eyes of this man's family and those of the other four people who died during the insurrection at the Capitol building, and say that you will continue to support the person who is responsible for their deaths?

Trump incited a riot, allowed the rioters to vandalize the Capitol Building for three hours, threatened the leaders of Congress whom we elected, allowed the security of our nation to be breached, tried to "steal" the election by attempting to force the Attorney General of Georgia to illegally change votes, and is now encouraging "rallies" on, or before, inauguration day at government offices in all 50 states. Trump's actions are all documented. You can watch or listen to them online.

Realizing that their media platform was being used by an insurrectionist in an attempt to unlawfully seize the government of the United States, the social media stood up to Trump by refusing to allow their platform to continue to used to enable him. 

Trump is now diverting attention from his crimes by inciting a fear of "Socialism". He is calling people to "defend OUR right for free speech" assuring them that, like the 1776 patriots, they are fighting for a "noble cause". My freedom of speech has not been taken away, but then I'm not an insurrectionist!

 

Watching for Red Flags

I think most of us are trying desperately to sort out all that we have seen and heard about the January 6, 2021 riot at our nation's Capitol building. I'm getting past the shock and the feeling that this couldn't have happened in our country, to a sad acceptance that it really did.  Deep down though, I sense that it should never have happened and that something is seriously wrong. 

This is why that today I'm looking for "Red Flags". Were there warning signs that I should have seen, but I didn't? One of the biggest "red flags" that I know about is propaganda. This a when someone tries to get and keep people just reacting emotionally. The goal is to keep the people from  logically questioning what he is saying, so he can manipulate them into doing what he wants. I think of it like us standing in an ocean of emotion. We are ok though because we have our feet firmly planted on the bottom, but if someone comes by who convinces us to lift up our feet and just float, we lose control of our own lives. This other person can now, with a only a slight effort, push us around in this sea of emotion and easily lead us to places we never wanted to go. In recent times, this has happened to the people of Germany, Italy and Russia. Could this be happening here?

Why are people still supporting Trump?

 

I am feeling confused and concerned today. So many things just don't make sense. Why are people simply believing all that Trump says? Why aren't they asking questions and getting the answers they deserve? Here are some of the questions I think need answers.

• Our President just incited a mob of people to "stop the steal" by marching on the Capitol building with the intent to disrupt the Constitutionally required certification process by Congress. Though most people do not approve of the violence, why are many of his supporters still excusing Trump's actions? They defend him saying that he was "defending freedom and right". Does that really make his actions "all right"?
• If the protesting group had been a Black Rights, Women's Rights, or Latino Rights, would this behavior still be "justified"?