The 6th day of January 2021

On January 6th some unusual things happened. The obvious would be the DC rally which ended in fellow Americans running rampant in the halls of the U.S Capitol building. The images of the day were splashed on the television like scenes from a political action thriller. People hanging from ledges on the side of the capital building trying desperately to get in. Congressional members squatting on the floor hiding from what they believed to be violent rioters. Even still shots of an oddly happy looking man sitting in the chair, at the desk of Nancy “wicked witch” Pelosi. Unusual and inappropriate as those images were, they were not the worst. Shockingly, we saw images of guns drawn through broken windows and most tragically, the image of a dying woman who was shot while attempting to enter a room through a window. And on a day filled with such out of place and tragic images, another unusual thing occurred. My friends and I, the very same friends that I have spent the last several months standing side by side with defending against blm/Antifa, debated the entire debacle unfolding in front of our eyes. From statements like “The Patriots were justified in storming the capital and we the people will have our voices heard’!! To “We’ve spent all summer fighting against the very same behavior and now what? Now we’re no better than they are”!! It was quite honestly an emotional exchange that I believe caused us all to genuinely reflect on our own deeply held personal beliefs. Though I can’t speak for my friends, I am confident that all of our nights ended similarly. Saddened, shocked and confused at what our beloved country had just witnessed.

Fast forward to January 7th. I woke up with that semi-panicked feeling that something had been terribly wrong and I immediately remembered the events of the day before. I tried to start my day like any other with a cup of coffee and some news. The negative political headlines rolled in like crashing waves. Trump incited the violence!! Congressional members were scared for their lives!! This was an attack on our democracy!! This was domestic terrorism!!! This type of violent behavior is not acceptable!! The list of completely hypocritical headlines went on all morning. By mid-day, my feelings had somewhat changed. That feeling of confusion that overwhelmed me the day before was being replaced with an anger and absolute refusal to accept the narrative and outright hypocrisy that the fake news media was spewing.

That’s not to say that breaching the capital is not a big deal or that property damage of any kind is ok. Both actions should and will get you in a lot of trouble and fittingly so. And as we saw, one woman paid the ultimate price for her decision to unlawfully enter the capital. I am not condoning any of those things. However, when I see the media and the politicians absolutely beside themselves because a bunch of Patriots (with some mixed in antifa/blm types) dared to enter the capitol and make a mess I find it hard to have any sympathy for them. In fact, I refuse to not call out their hypocrisy.

Where were they when blm/Antifa were burning down buildings?? Why was it not a national tragedy when antifa was toppling historic statues? Where was the outrage when the church right across from the White House was set ablaze by Antifa?? Why does breaching the walls of the capitol offend you more than the desecration of the American flag? Why was no one concerned when blm/Antifa were out causing havoc and scaring innocent people in communities across the country? In fact, you all defended their right to “peacefully” protest. You same politicians have the audacity to cry now that you felt your precious lives were in danger, but you did nothing when police were being knocked off left and right by angry blm/antifa thugs. The anarchy and utter violent destruction caused by antifa/blm in 2020 went largely uncommented on by politicians on the left and even some on the right. And the media, forget it! They promoted these horrid people as “peaceful protesters” fighting for human rights. But now, now it’s unacceptable? Now it needs to be addressed? Now its on every (fake) news outlet in the country. Now, because there were Trump supporters involved now it’s a national tragedy. Really?

Well, this brings me back the start of this piece. To the debate between my friends and I. While I respect everyone’s right to their opinion, I have to admit that mine has somewhat changed. I originally felt that what took place in DC on January 6th was all wrong. That breaching the walls of the capitol was a disgrace to the very country that we love so deeply. That my fellow Americans had in some way tarnished the term “Patriot”. That storming the capital in an attempt to protest an election that so many of us believe in our hearts was absolutely, positively, unequivocally stolen from us was somehow going too far. But now, the day after the chaos, I see more clearly than ever why they did what they did. And more importantly, I can see the clear distinction between what those Patriots did versus what blm/antifa spent the majority of last year doing. Those cowards terrorized innocent communities across the country. Harassed innocent people just out trying to sit down to dinner. They ran wild in communities, making demands, literally with lists in hand telling people what they demand be done or else. American Patriots on the other hand chose to show up to the exact location, on the exact day and they took their fight directly to the people they were fighting against. The U.S government. They took their protest and demand for a change directly to the people who could make that change. They didn’t burn down DC. They didn’t beat people up. They were in fact that previously silent majority that Washington has ridiculed, ignored and completely dismissed and on the 6th day of January in this new year of 2021, those American Patriots reminded everyone in Washington who the hell they work for and I for one hope it is a lesson that will not soon be forgotten.