When I was in the Army I went on some interesting exercises. The German Black Forest, the high desert of California, the plains of Kansas were all temporary homes. But I never got to camp out in the halls of Congress. That honor seems to have been reserved for the DC National Guard.
In images that you’ve all probably seen, pictures that look like the alternate ending to “Seven Days in May”, soldiers and their gear are deployed inside the Capitol. They are there for general security and, after last Wednesday, to potentially ward off any onslaught.
Are Trump supporters going to stage a rerun? It’s extremely unlikely. Trump has now denounced the violence and it won’t be the Capitol Police they would run into, but guys generally trained in the use of force.
But, every good political scenario needs an enemy and Pelosi, the media, and the pop culture have all found one courtesy of the January 6th speech and ensuing actions. Thus, every optic, every visual, must tell the tale of another attack on the Capitol by the great unwashed. Hence the military deployment.
However, there are supposedly planned demonstrations by Trump supporters all across the US this weekend and on January 20th. The supposed targets are state capitols. I know here in Annapolis, Maryland’s capitol, there is already a big police presence around the state house.
The state capitol demonstrations are what the press is predicting and it just may be wishful thinking, as that kind of event makes the job of a writer much easier. You don’t have to dig for a story such as that. It’s served up to you on a platter. But I say “supposedly” because I can’t believe Trump supporters, in this media and political environment, would be that irresponsible.
Do those supporters have every right to peaceably demonstrate? Absolutely. But as we have seen, things can get out of hand and that’s just what the Democrats want. They want to portray the Republican Party as consistent insurrectionists bent on violence, mayhem, and vandalism.
The media will contrast pictures of Biden supporters, happy and idealistic as they welcome in a new sunny era (Ha!) with Trump supporters possibly violently demonstrating against Joe Biden. The Trump people can’t want that. Their leaders must understand that while they can do this, they shouldn’t do this right now, as it plays into everything Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden want. The scene on the House floor Wednesday night proves that sure enough.
Many Trump supporters are decent conservatives who have a very strong loyalty to one man. But that loyalty should not cloud their judgment as to how the Democrats will use that fidelity for their own ends.
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