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“The Riots of the Unheard”: How extremists show us America.
Yesterday afternoon, a militia of Americans invaded Capitol Hill — holding confederate flags, Trump 2020 banners, and MAGA picket-signs — and stormed through a line of police into the U.S. Capitol.
Inside, they took over the building — -some manning the main hall, others vandalizing the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi’s office, and a group breaching onto the U.S Senate floor — one caped in a Trump flag taking a seat in the Vice President’s chair.
“Stop the Steal,” they cried in and outside the premises. More shouting, “U-S-A, U-S-A” in their harmony — -believing their protest, is “what democracy looks like.”
Later in a public statement via video, President Donald Trump told his supporters to “Go home” and that “We love you. You’re very special.” Then in a tweet, he placed blame on Mike Pence for not “having the courage to do what should have been done.”
Like most Americans, I was disgusted by the breaching of the Capitol. A complete desecration of civility and democracy in the name of #VoterFraud. But because I am sick of our divisions as a Black American. Because I am sick of the mishandling of news as a journalist. I have forced myself to listen.
