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So, it has finally come to this. A physical attack on Congress and the democratic process. In the months since the Nov. 3 election and prior to the Jan. 6 electoral vote certification, most Republican officials held back their public acknowledgement of the "real" result. Throughout these two months Trump stoked the emotions of his followers to protest the results. In this interim, a senior Republican said of Trump: "What is the downside for humoring him for this little bit of time? No one seriously thinks the results will change." Well, what happened on Jan. 6 was the ultimate downside.
If you think that the end of the Trump presidency on Jan. 20 will end the threat that he poses to do further harm to this country, you have got it wrong.
The plan for the siege on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 by Trump supporters has been out in open on the internet since the election. The misconception that the election was stolen is a social media myth -- the claim that thousands of dead people voted, the claim that hundreds of thousands of ballots appeared out of nowhere, was cultivated by Trump, Giuliani and others. I mean, there were multiple vote audits and recounts on top of recounts in multiple states and 60 rejected court challenges. What proof do you need?
These lies and myths of a stolen election promulgated the violence that we saw on Jan. 6. There were people in that crowd intent on doing more than just vandalism and that information will come out as more are arrested. There are pictures of rioters in the House chamber with zip ties and guns. Who were they going to tie up? Check out the videos of the mob yelling "We want Pence. We want Pence." Watch the other disturbing videos.
What was the mood in the White House while the "coup" was unfolding? Trump was reportedly enjoying what he was watching. He was "delighted."
For years mainstream honest Republicans normalized Trump's behavior by staying silent. The dozens of political rallies he held in the name of democracy and MAGA were closer to "training grounds for mob rule." And it worked. The MAGA inspired mob attacked the police, the elected officials, and the building of the U.S. Congress.
The danger that exists in the Trump world is that his most ardent supporters will believe anything, anything he says. If the temperature outside in July at noon is 100 degrees and Trump tweets there will be two feet of snow on the ground by 1 p.m., his supporters will run out and buy a shovel. Trump does not care about your job or joblessness, your health care or lack of it. He cares about your willingness to make donations and your blind adulation toward him.
The danger Trump will still hold after Jan. 20 will be his ability to incite violence via any access to social media. One short message, one subtle call for action, will energize those same people who attacked Congress. The Proud Boys, QAnon members -- these groups and others on the dark web are Trump's personal militia. One or more of these people murdered a Capitol Hill police officer. When Trump incites or beckons his most dangerous supporters, they will arm up and show up.
JOHN YOUNG
Stevensville, Maryland