The Capitol (Blog 6)

Before the pandemic, Washington D.C. was a favorite summer mini-break for our family. We loved it all--our government's history--both in the far and near past, the museums, the food and the feeling that we were truly in the middle of everything it meant to be an American. 

The first time I went to the Capitol for a tour, we were temporarily rejected from entering. Nicholas would not relinquish his bag of Yogi melts and threw his pacifier at a security guard. No food allowed, apparently. 

So we stepped to the side, I apologized, rebooked a tour time and Nicholas, who was 1, finished his yogis. 

Today, people just plowed right into the Capitol. Our lawmakers were taken to secure locations and some fled. We saw the footage of guns drawn inside. We saw people scaling walls and breaking windows. It's only been about an hour or so since the madness began. I can only imagine what's next. 


There are a few things I want to say about today:

  • At a minimum this is a crime, and most likely an act of sedition. It is an act to overthrow our government, driven by our President, who leads for himself, not for our nation.
  • This is not an act based on a desire for change. This is an act that tantrums against a change coming.
  • The Capitol is the people's house. And in my house, we don't break windows (purposely). We don't walk into people's bedrooms without knocking (often) and we don't act like animals (without consequence). We do our best to follow rules.
  • Black people would never be allowed to do anything like this. If you cannot see that reality right now, then you need to get yourself some glasses.
  • I am fascinated by the people breaching the Capitol, yet abiding by the roped off walkway. Every time I see someone outside the roped off area, I think of them as a monster.
  • Sore losers are exhausting. And tantrums are unmanageable.
  • God Bless the Capitol police, who were the first responders along with the Secret Service. God Bless the two officers holding a door to the House chamber against a hoard of angry, people who have decided the rules only apply when they give them pleasure.
  • President-elect Joe Biden said it best today: "The words of a President matter, no matter how good or bad that President is."

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