Terrorism on democracy

What the difference in response to the Capitol riots versus the BLM movement reveals about our country

Graphic by Grace Peng, Managing Online Editor

Reagan Horne, Staff Writer

While the people who survived the year 2020 still stand with strength, despite their sacrifice, 2021 did not hold back with its tragic intentions. The attack on the country’s Capitol tore a bigger divide in our nation than ever before. Reactions flooding in from all around the country, weighed in on the recent attacks and brought another pressing occurrence to our nation. The Capitol's security leading to the riots was highly unprepared for the kind of attack awaiting the government building, resulting in the untimely and tragic deaths of five people. The outcome of the heinous riot was unacceptable and undefendable.  

Before the premeditated assault on the United States Capitol, the government building was guarded with insufficient security. However, the question remains, how was the “most secure” building breached by pernicious Americans? The same Americans who were called upon by the one person who swore to protect the “United States of America.” Even though the attack on the Capitol was planned, authorities, such as Donald Trump, the President of the U.S, failed to take the proper precautions to prevent the invasion. The FBI suggested amplifying the security of the Capitol, but President Trump and his team refused. The security protecting the Capitol wasn’t under the impression that the President of the United States would influence terrorists to physically storm the Capitol.  Due to the empty-minded authorities, the assault cost five people to trade their lives for a president who wouldn’t accept the truth.  

Raw footage from the scenes portrays officers standing by as Trump sympathizers walk right by. Officer Eugene Goodman, a lone Black officer, was ambushed by the mob yet remained determined to divert the chaos and danger away from the congresswomen and congressmen in the building.  

Although the Capitol was left unprotected in January 2021, during the Black Lives Matter peaceful protests in 2020, President Trump was highly prepared for the protesters who stood outside the building. According to the Washington Post, the most controversial confrontations during the Black Lives Matter protests were the violent and forceful clearings of peaceful protesters on Lafayette Square. 

However, such confrontations only further perpetuated the scapegoating of Black people as the alleged cause of violence during the protests, despite that it is proven by many sources that they fought to keep the peace while fighting for their voice to be heard. The police officers sworn to protect and serve failed to live up to their oath. This purposeful, historic fight against systemic racism and the murder of innocent Black people in America pressured the President’s decision to call forth the DC National Guard. Armed and ready, the members of the national guard were prepared to take down the innocent protesters with any force necessary. 

Hypothetically, had the Trump supporters been people of color fighting for Joe Biden to win the presidency, the outcome could have been at least ten times more deadly.  

The Black Lives Matter movement was to fight for justice; the innocent and the unarmed Black men and women killed by not only officers but entitled white supremacists. The so-called “protestors”  that broke down the Capitol’s windows and kicked the doors down were causing madness simply because President Trump lost the 2020 election. This not only cost lives, but managed to make history by calling for the impeachment of the president not once, but twice. 

America shall unite as one instead of destroying each other mentally and physically. All humans are born equal. No matter their gender identity, sexual orientation, skin color, race, or religion. We must accept one another so our country can be the UNITED States of America.