Why The Domestic Terrorism Incited By Donald Trump Is A Sadder Day Than 9/11
January 6, 2021 will go down as one of the saddest days in American history.
vasilis asvestas / Shutterstock We’re a week into 2021, and all hell has broken loose.
The Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol building — egged on by Donald Trump and perpetuated by his cult followers — will go down as one of the saddest days in American history. Even sadder than 9/11.
I am in no way, shape, or form trying to discredit the tragic event that took place in the United States two decades ago. Of course it remains one of the saddest, most tragic events in American history, and my heart goes out to everyone affected by the events of that day.
But as I was scouring social media with the news playing in the background after Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building with Congress inside, I came across a Facebook post that read:
“It’s sadder to me than 9/11 because it’s our own doing it. Our own. Our own president. Our own law enforcement. Our own people. On the most symbolically & literally American institution. Our own. We bred this.”
Every word in the above quote is accurate.
Again, 9/11 was a terrible, tragic terrorist act committed against our country, by a foreign country. It’s inexcusable.
Our country’s president, though — who by the way, hasn’t done much other than play golf and tweet about election fraud for the past two months — led this so-called revolution and bred home-grown terrorists in the name of what? Making America “great again”?
Can a Trump supporter kindly explain what’s so great about America right now? And while you’re at it, please explain what’s been so great about America for the past four years, since the day your leader placed his hand on a bible that he’s obviously never read before and was sworn into office — to lead the United States of America, not the Red Trump States of America.
When 9/11 happened and almost 3000 Americans lost their lives, our country — Republicans, Democrats, and everyone in between — came together despite their political affiliation.
In that moment, that day, the coming weeks and months, we were united, as the name of our country suggests.
Ever since Donald Trump entered the political ring in 2015, he’s done nothing but divide our country.
On January 6, the date of the attempted coup, 3,793 people died of COVID.
Also on January 6, four people died in the name of Donald Trump and his delusional commands to overturn the election results.
When 9/11 happened, people were willing to die for our country.
Our lives were upended and our freedom was threatened, but we were united as a whole.
Let’s face it: if Barack Obama did this, if either Clinton did this, if any other politician was enabling their supporters to engage in acts of domestic terrorism, we’d call them by their name: a home-grown, domestic terrorist holding the most powerful position in our country’s government, not the President of the United States.
But with Trump, that’s not the case. To Trump’s supporters, he’s a hero, the second-coming of a savior here to “make America great again.”
Trump supporters, I’d like to pose another question to you: why are you willing to die for a leader who doesn’t actually care about you?
He’s always cared about himself, and will stomp on any and everything to get to where he needs to be. Diehard Trump supporters are merely pawns in his game of attempted authoritarianism, his game of Life that blurs the line between fantasy and reality, democracy and dictatorship.
Where are his statements regarding the four deaths that happened in his name? Oh, right — his Twitter and Facebook accounts were suspended for his statements disputing the election results and inciting violence.
Speaking of, his video message to his followers, the rioters, shortly before his accounts were suspended — “We love you, you’re very special” — was a stark cry from his message to peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters during the summer:
“When the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
During the historical protests stemming from the tragic murder of George Floyd last summer, police outfitted in riot gear were dispatched to major cities across the country in an instant.
Tanks rolled down Hollywood Blvd, merely five miles from my house. Peaceful protestors were tear gassed, beaten, arrested, assaulted, and more by those whose motto is “protect and serve,” all over the country.
Yet, when rioters — the majority of who are white — arrived at the Capitol, police let them in.
When they scaled the walls, stormed the premises, vandalized and stole items from an American institution, police took selfies with them.
Multiple bombs were found around the premises.
About fifty arrests were made. Police hardly enforced the 6 p.m. curfew that was put into effect by the D.C. mayor shortly after rioters breached the Capitol. Police helped an elderly woman down the stairs.
The events of Jan. 6 showed Americans that Trump supporters, including police and the politicians who continued to support Trump’s baseless lies, are past the point of believeing the lies the president has been force-feeding his base for the past four years.
We need to call the rioters who breached the Capitol what they are: home-grown, domestic terrorists bred by Trump and his followers.
If these attacks on our country’s democracy were done by foreigners, everyone would call it terrorism, just like 9/11. But these fringe Trump supporters won’t do that, and because of it, Jan. 6 will go down as one of the saddest days in American history.
Olivia Jakiel is an editor and writer who covers celebrity and entertainment news. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her zingers on Twitter.