Legitimate Political Discourse by a Loving Crowd?

Another Voice: Opinion by Jim Malatras

The Republican National Committee recently declared the January 6th, 2020 attack on the U.S. Capitol a “persecution of ordinary citizens in legitimate political discourse.” Normally opposing a mob that grew violent and disrupted proceedings of Congress in the midst of certifying a presidential election would be a political layup. But these are dizzyingly polarizing times.

Contrary to President Trump’s claim, that it was a “loving crowd”—like it was somehow a mellow group attending an Air Supply concert, our eyes do not deceive us. What we witnessed was wasn’t a peaceful demonstration or Americans linked arm in arm singing “we shall overcome” as they battle racial injustice. It was an attack. A legitimate political discourse doesn’t involve outnumbered police officers being pummeled, bloodied, and beaten by sticks, fists, and other weapons, or crushed in doorways by surging mobs. Legitimate political discourse doesn’t involve pipe bombs that were planted at both the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican National Parties as diversions to lure law enforcement from the Capitol so the mob would be able to sow more chaos. Legitimate political discourse doesn’t include a mob infiltrating the hallowed halls of the seat of our national government in the middle of finalizing a presidential election. Legitimate political discourse doesn’t result in the Vice President and Legislators being rushed out of their Chambers because the barricades law enforcement made couldn’t hold back the mob. Legitimate political discourse doesn’t include erected gallows and chants of hanging the Vice President who won’t go along with overturning the will of the people. No, this wasn’t legitimate political discourse.