On January 6th 2021, a Coup attempt that has been building for weeks unfolded in the United States of America.
A coup attempt should never have been possible within our republic in modern times, but on January 6th, 2021, it became a reality. When historians note deepening tensions leading to coup attempts, they usually detail tensions relevant to specific issues in their nations as the cause of unrest. In the United States of America, in 2021, the only cause for unrest is partisan division that has been stoked by the President of the United States of America, and enabled by the GOP. The message they are sending is that only Republicans can win elections. When Democrats win, it is done by cheating, despite having no evidence or adjudicated support to back up the accusation.
There is no precedent for any of the Representatives on the House Floor to reject this election certification. They bear the responsibility for the violence that has begun, and will continue to escalate while Trump looks for any path he can take to avoid accountability. The GOP, by enabling the radicalization of their party as an obstructionist element within government, bears the full brunt of responsibility for every death, injury, and general assault on our Democracy that has just begun.
Trump stokes violence while the coup unfolds
Trump was elected “President” of the United States after a campaign of division based on fake news and conspiracy theory against President Barack Obama and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Over the last four years, Democrats have become inoculated to his lies and attacks, simply counting the days until he was out of office, but the GOP will now begin to face something new. As Mitch McConnell took to the floor to decry House Republicans in their coup attempt, the lines of division were almost immediately visible. Moderate Republicans watched their phones for stories as the Capitol was locked down, and one could see the fear in his eyes, as he realized he had lost control of the Party.
As of this writing, the President has not come out against this coup. He has not deployed the National Guard, and video shows Capitol Police overwhelmed as those attempting the coup breached the Capitol. While reports of shots fired hasn’t confirmed any casualties, there is little doubt that there will be casualties to come.
Significant rise in right-wing terrorism during Trump’s tenure
Anyone paying attention saw this coming, and the declaration of Trump’s slow-building coup attempt has been called out by thousands of others. Before, it was a warning, now it is an admonition, as this should not have taken Mitch McConnell by surprise. Anyone paying attention for the last month could see that Trump was building a coalition of willing conspirators to help him with his coup, and as such, these members stood on the House floor, demanding recognition of their coup. Outside, their base stirred into a frenzy, began to take matters into their on hands.
Building up to this, violent right-wing militia members stand trial, accused of plotting to kidnap a Michigan Governor. Election officials across the country have been subjected to threats to their person or their families. Calls for officials who do not support the coup to be “taken outside and shot” have come from numerous parts of the country, and even elected officials.
It is no longer just Democrats who are the targets of this terrorism. Republicans who stand against this coup have been threatened. Last week, on a plane trip across the country, Mitt Romney as subjected to chants claiming he was a traitor. The home of the Attorney General, a longtime ally of Trump, was surrounded by protestors angry that he found no election fraud.
Calling this a coup is not Hyperbole, it is simply subjective fact
Isolated violence can spread
On the 28th of June in 1914, Archbishop Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, leading to the first World War. While the assassination itself was only the trigger for something that had been building for some time, it’s an important example of how quickly violence, even a single death, can lead to global unrest. We’ve been seeing tensions build in the United States of America between the parties for decades as well. Trump is doing nothing to quell this insurrection at the time of this writing. The National Guard has not been deployed, and Trump has not asked his supporters to respect the laws of the country he was elected to represent.
This is Treason. This is a Coup.