Trump Incites Terrorist Mob to End Our Democracy

Author: Editorial Board | Category: Politics National | Date: 01-16-2021

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What happened on January 6th when our elected federal legislators—both senators and House members—were convening to count the electoral college votes that Joe Biden won was a HORRIFIC ACT of DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

As Americans watched on TV, on January 6, 2021, Trump’s mob—many carrying Confederate flags symbolizing the racial supremacy of white people—stormed their way into our Capitol building 

It was an insurrection, an attempt to topple our democracy and to install Donald Trump as America’s first fascist dictator.*

When asked by reporters why they were committing violent acts, their answers were very similar:  They were there because President Trump issued a call to arms for them to be there to stop the vote counting and Trump even said that he would be there with them.  

Many in the mob were chanting, “Hang Mike Pence,” because Vice President Pence, as stipulated by our constitution, is the one who engages in the ceremonial formality of accepting the certified electoral votes of each state on behalf of both houses of Congress.  

In a tweet a few days before this horrific event (after knowing that Mike Pence was not going to support his attempt to overturn our democracy) Trump specifically invited his followers to show up on January 6 to disrupt the constitutionally-mandated vote counting that would officially confirm Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election.

In this tweet, Trump said it would be “wild,” clearly inviting his followers to commit violence.

The result of the six hours of rampage and destruction caused by Trump’s mob when it forcibly occupied our Capitol building were 5 people dead, including a police officer who was beaten to death with a fire extinguisher, destruction and theft of federal property, legislators who feared for their lives, and a stunned American public riveted by this unprecedented act of violent insurrection led by a president.

But Trump and his mob did not succeed.  

The senators and house members, led by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, did not yield to the terrorists.  They re-convened after the capitol building was secured, the vote counting continued, and Vice President Pence declared Joe Biden and Kamala Harris the winners of our presidential election. 

Now, the House of Representatives has just impeached Donald J. Trump for his traitorous act of inciting a violent coup to overturn the results of a free and fair election.

Let’s review the sequence of events that led to this violent act of insurrection led by President Trump.  

•    Even before the November 3 presidential election, Trump knew he would most likely lose because polls were consistently showing that Biden was ahead 
•    Trump proceeded to warn his followers before the election that if he does not win, it would be because of election fraud.
•    Trump rushed to get a 9th Supreme Court Justice confirmed because he was banking on his hand-picked justices to override the will of the American people by choosing him as the winner.  Had this happened, it would have been an unconstitutional act.
•    The November 3rd elections occurred and after all the votes were tallied in each state, Biden and Harris were declared the winners, beating Donald Trump and Mike Pence 306 to 232 in electoral college votes and by over 7 million in popular votes.
•    Throughout November and December, the Trump campaign started disseminating the BIG LIE—that the election was “stolen” from Trump.
•    Over 60 baseless lawsuits were filed by the Trump campaign alleging voter fraud.  All except for one of the lawsuits were summarily dismissed by judges due to complete lack of evidence.  Many of the presiding judges that threw out these lawsuits were appointed by Trump.  
•    Towards the end of the filing of baseless lawsuits, the Trump campaign tried one last Hail Mary lawsuit on December 10th, having enlisted the Texas attorney general to file an appeal to the Supreme Court alleging that the certification of Joe Biden as the winner in 4 swing states --Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Wisconsin—somehow injured the rights of Texas’s citizens.  The Supreme Court quickly threw out this spurious lawsuit stating emphatically that Texas does not have “standing” to file such a brief, meaning that Texas has no valid legal reason to claim that its citizens’ rights were violated just because other states’ citizens voted differently.
•    Along with these baseless lawsuits, Trump and his allies tried to coerce Republican-controlled state legislators in swing states to invalidate the popular vote in their states and override the will of the people by appointing another set of pro-Trump electors.  

Just like the baseless lawsuits, these attempts to subvert state legislators failed as well.

On December 14th, all states certified their election results and appointed electors representing the winner of the popular vote.

•    As if filing baseless lawsuits was not enough, Trump and his allies went further, much further--he encouraged state election officials to commit ballot fraud.  In late December Trump himself called up Georgia elections official Brad Raffensperger to order him to “find” 11,780 votes for him (that is 1 more vote than the 11,799 margin that Biden beat him by). 

This attempt to pressure elections officials into committing a serious crime—election fraud—was rebuffed, just like all the other attempts.

But Trump and his allies were not ready to give up even after this long string of losses.  

Trump’s next move was to incite an insurrection to overturn the results of a legitimate election.  January 6th is the constitutionally-mandated date when both houses meet to put the Congressional stamp of approval on the state-certified electoral vote—in past elections, this step, referred to as “vote counting,” has always been just a mere formality.  But, having failed to convince Mike Pence to engage in an anti-constitutional act by refusing to formally certify the electoral votes from several swing states, Trump and his supporters saw January 6th as another opportunity to sabotage the road to Biden’s inauguration on January 20th.

There is no doubt that Trump was the leader of this insurrection to subvert the results of a fair and free election and to install himself as the supreme dictator of America.

So far the insurrectionists, with Trump at the helm, have failed and Donald J. Trump has just been impeached by the House of Representatives for a second time—this time for “inciting an insurrection.”

At this point in time, it is unclear as to what will happen leading up to January 20th when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be officially inaugurated as our 46th President and Vice President.  

Trump’s followers, many of whom are white supremacists, are planning violent actions in not just Washington D.C., but in many state capitals as well

Let’s hope that Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and the brave American officials/legislators/judges who resisted the tyranny perpetrated by Trump and his mob will all be safe and sound through the dangerous period ahead 

This tragic drama is not over yet but it is becoming clearer and clearer that America has not been plunged into the abyss of a fascist dictatorship because of the following factors:    

1.    Our judicial system held firm.  Even Trump-appointed judges and justices refused to defy the Constitution and the democratic principles of evidence-based rulings.  All of Trump’s no-evidence lawsuits were thrown out.
2.    State election officials and the majority of even Republican state legislators refused to engage in fraudulent and unconstitutional acts to overturn the results a fair and free election as Trump and his allies had demanded.   

Both America’s judges and justices (even ones hand-picked by Trump) and state officials resisted Trump’s attempt to turn our government into a Mafia operation in which loyalty to bosses, not allegiance to our Constitution and rules, is paramount.   

In other words, the RULE OF LAW won.

Above all, Democratic lawmakers’ steadfast refusal to be intimidated even after the January 6th insurrection that directly threatened their lives was the latest formidable barrier to a fascist* takeover of our government. 

As for those in other countries who either pity us or feel superior to us because of the chaos they have witnessed, this is what we have to say:

You need not pity us.  America’s Constitution and the Rule of Law held firm and have so far proven their resilience in the face of serious assaults by the forces of authoritarianism and tyranny.   

Iron-fisted totalitarian dictatorships like Communist China’s as well as wannabe dictators have no reason to cheer and feel superior as they watch the chaos that has beset our country. Civil unrest, when it happens in these autocratic dictatorships, are always quickly and brutally suppressed.  After all, there are no civil liberties and no respect for human rights in these countries.  And the rule of law is whatever the dictatorial regimes say it is  To wit:  When Communist China’s “President” Xi Jing-Ping decided to get rid of presidential term limits, so that he can stay in office for as long as he wants, he just declared it and that was it.  

That said, we must acknowledge that the January 6th insurrection did undermine America’s moral authority as many pundits around the world have stated. If nothing else, the insurrection has cast doubt on America’s reputation as a country known for its peaceful transfer of power.  And because the peaceful transfer of power is a hallmark of successful democracies, this was a major blow to America’s image as the leader of the free world.

But how American democracy should be evaluated and where it stands in comparison to other democracies are complicated issues. We cannot explore all the complexities here as it would lead us too far afield.  

So, it suffices to say for now that America is certainly far from perfect—for one, our relatively unregulated capitalist system has led to the disastrous environmental degradation we now face and to the extreme income inequality that forces many to make no more than $8 an hour while the top 10 % owns 85% of America’s wealth.  

Moreover, America’s historically-entrenched racism and sexism has privileged white males more than any other group.  This reckoning is just beginning with the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements.

We can go on and on about America’s many serious problems that would justify people’s skepticism regarding whether America should be seen as a beacon of democracy.

But time and space constraints prevent us from tackling this complex topic here. 

Let’s conclude by reminding people that America is a work in progress, a democracy that is still unfolding.  

January 6th happened because Donald J. Trump incited his followers to foment violence in the hopes that he would be installed as America’s dictator by force.

This did not happen because their January 6th attempted fascist coup failed.

Yes, it was appalling and sent shockwaves throughout America and the world.  And yes, America’s weaknesses were laid bare.  

But because it did not happen and because this was the latest failed attempt in a long series of failed attempts by Donald J. Trump and his allies to subvert our democracy, America’s strengths were also on full display—the incorruptibility of many officials and politicians because they believed in the rule of law and continued to adhere to democratic norms and the Constitution. 

That’s why, given the chance, many people hoping to better their lives have chosen to immigrate to America.  These wannabe Americans--including many wealthy, highly educated people from Communist China--have continued to flock to America in droves, not only for its economic opportunities, but to breathe its air of freedom.  

To be sure, we are a deeply flawed democracy when measured against the ideals of economic, racial, and environmental justice.  

But it must be said that in the grand sweep of American history, we have made progress towards the ideal that many Americans hold dear—that America should be a free, open, and just society governed by the rule of law and respect for human rights and civil liberties, a country where even though the playing field is not equal, people from all walks of life will have opportunities to improve their lives.  

This is the promise of America, not the reality.  But the progress we have made towards fulfilling this promise is what continues to attract people to our shores.  

We will close by reminding everyone how momentous the Trump-led January 6th insurrection and his second impeachment are in American history:

Never before has a president perpetrated a BIG LIE about  election fraud in order to steal an election, a fair and free election that he lost by a wide margin.

Never before has a president incited violence to foment an insurrection against our democracy.

And never before has a president been impeached twice.

To those who think that just because no one is surprised that Donald J. Trump is capable of inciting a violent insurrection, we should just shrug it off, please listen closely to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s words of warning during this second impeachment trial:

“Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to our nation.” 

Never before has America come this close to becoming a fascist* dictatorship.  

And it is not over yet.  

Many of our elected legislators who dare contradict Trump’s BIG LIE—both Democrats and Republicans—by stating publicly that Trump lost a fair and free election are now being threatened with physical harm.  Just like Hitler’s stormtroopers, Trump’s violent followers have vowed to kill politicians who dare speak the truth.  

All Americans need to realize that the threat from Trump’s fascist* movement is still very much alive. Until all of the perpetrators of the January 6th insurrection, including Trump and the Republican politicians who aided and abetted the coup, are held accountable for their criminal acts, our nation cannot begin to heal.  

Unity cannot be based on ignoring violent crimes committed to subvert the very bedrock of our democracy—accepting the results of free and fair elections.  In Nazi Germany, the democratic forces in the Weimar Republic did not put up much of a fight against Hitler and his stormtroopers.  And we all know what happened next—it opened the way to the death and destruction that the German fascists unleashed upon the world in World War II.

 Again, let’s be reminded of the words of our Speaker of the House:

“Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to the nation.”

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*Definition of fascism:  Fascist governments are almost always headed by a dictator who seized power through violent actions that dismantled democratic institutions and procedures (e.g. Hitler’s Reischstag Fire, Trump’s January 6th Insurrection).  

Fascist dictators’ appeal to followers is based on a mythical image of a past paradise populated exclusively by a “pure” race/ethnicity/religion.  Fascists specialize in disseminating BIG LIES repeated over and over again in simple language in order to implant them as “truths” in the minds of the undereducated masses, many of whom are not used to thinking for themselves.

Prejudices such as racial/ethnic superiority are openly encouraged and hatred for outgroups is continuously stoked in order to intensify feelings of loyalty towards the dictator who always claims that he is the only one who can save his followers from the evils of the world.  

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Comment:

KYLE Lam January 25, 2021 1:22 am
After reading this article, I am very thankful that we have a new president and Donald Trump is still getting impeached. On the news during the inauguration, I saw that even though Trump didn't attend it, he still left a letter for President Biden which was very surprising to me. Now that Biden ... Read more
Sue C. January 25, 2021 1:50 am
That's a very astute observation Kyle--that the news stations are more neutral now. Think about why that is the case. This is what I think: Because Donald Trump was so polarizing and spewed a ... Read more
Leo Lin January 25, 2021 1:06 am
A question I have regarding the Resurrection non Jan.6, it that with everything moved to online, how did the government and security forces not know that people were planning to storm the capital when they most likely planned things online. For example, going on Facebook to set up a strategy ... Read more
Sue C. January 25, 2021 1:17 am
Good points, Leo. About the Republican party, they have to, as Republican Senator Mitch McConnell said, "purge" Trump from the party. Otherwise, the future will be very bleak for them. About the ... Read more
Jake Kim January 24, 2021 11:39 am
To add to my previous comment and the updates on the whole situation regarding Trump's final moments of his presidency, I'd like to say that the Republican Party is in trouble. My dad has recently informed me that the Proud Boys are now angry with their idol Donald Trump because he ... Read more
Jean Kim January 24, 2021 6:55 am
What I thought after reading this article is that I cannot believe Mr.Trump still has followers. What he has done during his presidency shows what kind of person he is and that he should have stayed at his New York building. When I first heard that the Capital got possessed by Trump supporters, I ... Read more
Sue C. January 25, 2021 7:17 am
Jean: If you are going to criticize an article for being 'biased," you have to provide proof. Just stating that something is biased without providing evidence is useless.
Jessie Yuan January 21, 2021 6:49 am
I thought that this article succinctly summarized Trump's actions in recent times, if in a biased manner. This article also highlights all of Trump's faults. I am rather unsurprised by the scorn Trump has been getting from his actions, but the vote--306 to 232-- does show that Trump still ... Read more
Tiffany Lee January 18, 2021 5:55 am
I thought that this article was very blunt and informative about what really happened on January 6th. This showed how immature Trump is as a person, and will do anything and everything to ensure that he wins, even though he has failed this time. I was just shocked on how so many people would listen ... Read more
Zoe Byun January 18, 2021 5:10 am
This article really clearly explains the major event that went down on January 6th. I was appalled with the extent that these protestors went to. Another thing that really upset me about this incident was that the police were not strict with these rioters like they were with peaceful ... Read more
Sue C. January 20, 2021 11:58 am
Zoe, the point you raised about the contrast between the way these rioters--mostly white males--were treated by the police and the way the peaceful Black Lives Matter protestors were treated is a ... Read more
Ariel L January 18, 2021 3:24 am
I thought that this article was extremely clear and informative about the insurrection that Donald Trump incited. I felt truly disappointed on January 6th, due to the fact that the President, who is supposed to be a role model for fellow Americans, was the reason for this insurrection and helped ... Read more
Sue C. January 20, 2021 12:04 pm
Ariel: You asked a very important question: "It made me wonder why some people believed in election fraud when they were all baseless claims?" A quick answer to this question is that a CULT of ... Read more
Jake Kim January 17, 2021 10:27 am
For the past four years, I have constantly been reminded of the flaws and evils of Donald Trump. And every time this happened, I thought maybe I was the mistaken one. But after seeing him get banned on twitter and learning that he was the one who incited such anarchy in our country, it is ... Read more
Ben Seo January 17, 2021 9:07 am
This article was very informative and helped me understand the whole timeline before and after the coup on January 6. I had no idea the lengths that Trump went just to prove voter fraud. 61 meaningless lawsuits, pressuring election officials to get him false votes, and coercing swing state ... Read more
Sue C. January 20, 2021 12:08 pm
I would not be surprised either if this is just the beginning of right-wing domestic terrorism in our country. But, at least for the next four years, we will no longer have a president who ... Read more