January 6th: One Year Later
I have thought about writing this post so many times. I don’t even really know what to write. In some ways, I’m still just as upset as this same day one year ago.
Content warning: suicide, violence, racism, Donald Trump
Remembering the Day
This time last year, I was working furiously on my summative assessment that determined if I would get my master’s degree (I did). It felt like that was the only important thing in the world. I took a glance at my phone during a break from studying and see the headline. I immediately go downstairs and sit at the TV just mortified and crying. This really put what I was doing in perspective, and I haven’t forgotten that since then. I stopped studying and tried to process what was happening. I’m not really sure if I have. I’m not using this post today to rehash what happened. The events of insurrection, nor the people who incited violence and death, do not deserve any more attention than they already got. I fear as I write this what they have planned for today.
Here is a list of events taking place tomorrow at the Capitol:
Events scheduled for DC’s January 6 Commemoration | wusa9.com
Insurrection Convictions
I do think it’s important to cover what legal action has (and hasn’t) been successful since the violent mob attacked the Capitol.
Insurrection Legal Cases:
Charges Include: Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building; Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
- More than 700 arrested
- 74 sentences (55% have not received any time)
- Estimate of 2,500 involved
- 225 people have been accused of attacking or interfering with the police that day. About 275 have been charged with what the government describes as the chief political crime on Jan. 6: obstructing Congress’s duty to certify the 2020 presidential vote count. A little over 300 people have been charged with petty crimes alone, mostly trespassing and disorderly conduct.
- The longest term handed so far is only FIVE YEARS.
- The first trial will begin on February 24th, 2022.
Donald Trump. The former president’s movement and communications on Jan. 6 appear to be a focus of the inquiry. But Mr. Trump has attempted to shield his records, invoking executive privilege. The dispute is making its way through the courts.
Source:
Capitol Breach Cases | USAO-DC | Department of Justice
A year after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot: 5 key takeaways from the criminal cases: NPR
Thank you to the True Heroes of 2021
- The four officers who responded to the violent insurrection and died by suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 800-273-8255.
- Officer Gunther Hashida: assigned to the Emergency Response Team within the Special Operations Division. Hashida had joined the Metropolitan Police Department in 2003.
- Officer Kyle DeFreytag: DeFreytag had been with the department since November 2016.
- Officer Howard Liebengood: 16-year Capitol Police veteran, also responded to the insurrection and later died by suicide.
- Officer Jeffrey Smith: a 12-year veteran of the force
Thank you for keeping us safe. Rest in Peace.
- Eugene Goodman: Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman is being called a hero for a second time after footage shown at the impeachment trial shows him directing Mitt Romney away from an advancing mob.
Officer Goodman singlehandedly steered a mob away from the Senate chambers. A group of senators has introduced a bill to award Officer Goodman with the Congressional Gold Medal.
Eugene Goodman hailed for guiding Mitt Romney to safety – BBC News
Officer Eugene Goodman
That’s all for today. We can never forget this horrible event. If anything, it needs to compel us more to take action against letting anything close to this ever happen again. It was a massive failure in our country, another stain on hundreds of years of discriminatory, racist, violent American History. I am tired of these miniscule sentences for violence.
I am tired of the lies being perpetuated by members of the Republican party. This election was valid. Joe Biden, and ONLY Joe Biden is our president. Period. It is time for everyone to admit that. Anyone who doesn’t, anyone who supports the insurrection, who believes in attacking our nation’s politicians, who voted for Trump once, and especially a second time, is a danger and disgrace to our country. Trump is ultimately accountable, but people who voted him in, who allowed him in power- so are you. I’ve never been more ashamed to live in this country than that day.
I don’t know what there is to do, I often feel hopeless. But I know we need to keep talking about it, keep giving the right information, and keep fighting for what we know is right, and waht Donald Trump has tried to destroy in our country.
