Stay Safe and Spread Compassion in Your Community

Today I struggle at making sense of the armed insurgences. The incident on January 6, 2021 was

not an isolated incident, was not the first right wing action against the federal or local governments. State capitols around the country saw similar armed demonstrations for months before this. These armed demonstrations seemed to be warm ups in a national effort to take control of the country.  All you had to do was listen and read the news to know something was brewing. Here are just some of the hints I found.

As far back as April 2020 an estimated 2,500 people have rallied in Olympia in response to Governor Jay Inslee’s stay-at-home order to limit the spread of coronavirus, defying a ban on gatherings of 50 or more people. These demonstrations continued for months. Tyler Miller, of Liberty At All Hazards and Matt Marshall of the Washington Three Precent both rightwing groups came up the plan called "Legislative Lockdown" and involved people camping outside of the state legislative building in hopes breaking inside.

In December it was reported that the demonstrations in Olympia had become meaner. Left wing opposition forces joined the rightwing demonstrations and taunts between opposing sides turned violent. The number of weapons multiplied. Firearms brought to the Capitol for months which seemed like a symbolic jester were now being pointed and fired to settle scores between political opponents. Saturday December 12^th extremists from both ends of the political spectrum clashed three times in Olympia, at least one person was wounded.

In May 2020 armed protesters dubbed the "American Patriot Rally” went inside Michigan’s state capitol building, tried to enter the floor of the chamber, but were blocked by state police and sergeants-at-arms. Several Michigan legislators wore bulletproof vests. These rallies continued for months culminating in the attempted kidnapping of the Governor.

Death threats by Trump supporters started becoming routine. Starting as far back as May 2020 in Kentucky where rightwing protesters demonstrated against the state’s measures to fight the coronavirus hung an effigy of Governor Andy Beshear from a tree. Protesters at a rally in Salem burned Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) in effigy. During the election process both Democratic and Republican Attorney Generals received death threats because of election results.

In Sacramento demonstrations by Trump supporters have gone on for more than two months prior to January 6^th 2021. Repeated clashes came down between far-right groups and counter-protesters that led to violence in the streets of Sacramento. The brawls and beatings that occurred at these weekly protests were instigated by far-right groups like the Proud Boys.

During the certification of states electoral votes Staffers at the Utah state Capitol were ordered to evacuate the building. In Georgia, police escorted Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) to safety as militia members gathered outside the Capitol building in Atlanta.

In Olympia, things heated up when the perimeter of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s (D) mansion was breached by a large group of pro-Trump protesters. Inslee was home at the time, the governor and his wife were moved to a safe location.

In Kansas, state police monitored a group of protesters who entered the statehouse in Topeka. The state Highway Patrol said they had no plans to increase security, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal. The protesters later dispersed without incident.

Two Seattle city police officers were at the January 6^th 2021 insurgence on the capitol and have been put on administrative leave. An investigation was opened to look into what their role in the violent mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters that stormed the nation’s Capital. For me this brought these demonstrations close to home.

The story goes on and on from Congress women Lauren Opal Boebert to armed protesters in Seaside Oregon. This will not go away any time soon. This intolerant climate intensifies a new set of moral attitudes and political commitments that tend to weaken our communities, block open debate and tolerance of differences in favor of ideological conformity.

For me it’s important that we resist this hate and join a movement for change with nonviolent actions. We need to reach out to our neighbors no matter what their political believes. In a letter published in Harper’s Magazine signed by 153 prominent artists and intellectuals declared that a new set of attitudes and political commitments have been wedged in our tradition of open tolerance and open debate two important democratic standards. We all need to fight against continuing this “Intolerant climate.”

In the near future our individual actions will set the stage for healing our communities. Maybe we should reach out to our friends, our neighbors and our community to listen and start dialog to find common ground. Publicly show your compassion, caring by reaching out a helping hand to all who need it. And stay safe during these layers of hard times.