There must be accountability.
It must be swift, certain and appropriately punitive. Those who plan, promote, take part in or immorally support a violent coup attempt aimed at the heart of American democracy deserve no leniency. The Trump cult traitor terrorists have earned all the condemnation, disgust and force of law that is now their due.
Not retribution. Not revenge. But there must be justice for the millions of loyal Americans who did not launch an armed revolt against their government at the behest of a power-crazed pathological liar.
The Trump mob and their apologists are not patriots. There are, however, plenty of other words that apply. Traitors. Seditionists. Domestic terrorists, America’s homegrown ISIS. Insurrectionists. Cowards. Fanatics. Racists. Criminals.
Killers.
They killed a police officer. Again, for emphasis: An insane mob of armed Trump zombies that included several police officers killed a cop, and assaulted other law enforcement officers. Every one of them must share the guilt. Blue lives don’t matter to these people.
The Trump cult traitor terrorists (yes, we’re going to keep repeating that phrase for emphasis, and because it is 100% accurate) didn’t limit their arrogance and violence to the Capitol. The ransacking itself was like some kind of entitled frat party, a panty raid with guns, and the after-party included rowdy, threatening behavior on airplanes, at airports and elsewhere. They giddily celebrated one of the most sordid events in this country’s history like their team had just won the Super Bowl. So here’s another word for them: jerks.
Many people are suggesting that the Traitor Caucus — the Republican Senate and House members who voted against certifying the presidential election — are also deserving of condemnation and consequences. Mere hours after the mayhem, when a bleeding and terrified nation reeled in shock from the day’s events, when more than anything the population needed reassurance that democracy’s survival was not at risk, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley and the other Republican misrepresentatives made it all about themselves. If there is real accountability, all of them will lose their seats in Congress. See the 14th Amendment.
There must be accountability for the lying — by the president, by his toadies and sycophants, by the right-wing conspiracy mongers whose sewage stream of untruths and looney-toon hysteria fired the Trump mob to action. The most ludicrous conspiracy theory is that it was “Antifa” elements who organized and took part in the Capitol attack. Thorough reporting by real journalists has conclusively proved that it was devoted Trump supporters and far-right militants who made up the crowd. On social media, the Trump cult traitor terrorists have bragged about being responsible, and are miffed that Antifa might be given credit for their depredations.
The beleaguered mainstream media saved us. They are saving us now, by doing what Fox News and its partners in fictionalization do not — actual reporting to uncover and reveal what happened. For that, journalists have been identified as “soft targets” by the Trump cult traitor terrorists.
There was a time — just days ago, in fact — when Trump might have been able to defuse the situation by admitting the truth: he lost a fair election by a landslide, and there is not a shred of evidence that it was rigged or stolen. But after the president delivered a clearly insincere message condemning his mob’s actions and promising punishment for the perpetraitors (not a typo), they are now turning on the president and calling him a traitor. They’ve gone rogue, answering only to the craziness buzzing inside their thick skulls.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday the president “expressed no contrition or regret” for the events of Jan. 6, according to the New York Times, claiming his incendiary remarks were “totally appropriate.” He thinks the country is angry because of the impeachment proceedings, not the deadly riot he caused. The president’s narcissistic disassociation from reality has only a few fretful days to run its course, and a nation looks on with dread about what he could do in that short time. Trump will be gone, but the damage he caused to democracy will endure.
This is not, as some suggest, the time to “move on,” to “start the healing.” There can be no moving on without a reckoning, no quick healing without cauterizing the wounds. Some have also argued that pursuing impeachment, or activating the 25th Amendment, will split the country further. Truth alert: the Trump cult traitor terrorists have already done that. Or weren’t you paying attention?
