On January 6, when all of Congress was meeting to certify Joe Biden’s votes for the 2020 election, a large group of President Trump supporters forcefully entered Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. The group entered the building before lawmakers realized what was happening and could take cover. Many of the people who raided offices, opened classified documents and took photos of themselves were members of QAnon, a group founded on internet conspiracies, as well as the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group. 

What happened this day was not a protest; it was a riot. If it was a protest there wouldn’t be a noose brought in, the behavior shown in the photos, and the 11 homemade bombs found in a pickup truck only two blocks away from Capitol Hill according to CNN. The people who broke into Capitol Hill are not protestors nor patriots; they are domestic terrorists. The events that happened on January 6 should be a chilling realization for what can happen if the words that people in power and influence say go unchecked. 

One simple action can determine whether someone is at least a decent president: They have to ensure that everyone in their country is safe and they have to put their foot down when there is a potential for violence. President Trump has failed at this tremendously.

A key example of this is how he addressed QAnon, a group that believes conspiracy theories that state there are Satan-worshipping politicians and celebrities participating in a worldwide ring of child abuse, and that there is an effort to sabotage President Trump within the state. Obviously, these theories are preposterous. But, the group has had real-life consequences since they are considered a domestic terror threat by the FBI. 

According to CNN, when referring to the people in QAnon, he said that they “basically believe in good government,” and that he doesn’t, “know much about the movement, other than I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate.” That’s the only part he cares about, that they are basically devoted to him. 

Instead of addressing the actions and theories of these insane groups, he leads them on. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what side of the political spectrum you are at. This is just wrong to not condone this kind of behavior and he did for the sake of getting votes and keeping an audience. But, when addressing Black Lives Matter? In a Tweet from early July, which you can no longer see since his account has been suspended, he said that New York City’s plan to have Black Lives Matter painted on 5th Avenue, was a “symbol of hate”. President Trump has repeatedly criminalized the BLM movement, while when his supporters break into Capitol Hill he just tells them to go home. 

One of the most depressing and upsetting parts of this whole ordeal is the fact that the Confederate flag was brought into Capitol Hill. And they claim to be patriots. That flag represents a moment in history when people wanted slavery to stay rampant in America so badly that they betrayed their own country and lost. 

Bringing that symbol of hate into the very place our democracy is represented is sickening. Countless brave individuals have fought and died to have simple human rights, and these so-called ‘patriots’ bring that flag into Capitol Hill. 

The United States of America will always have problems, no country is without problems. What we need more than ever is for people to look at the bigger picture. To not think about what will help their party, campaign, or wealth. But, what will help the country and keep the American people safe. Because right now, we don’t feel safe.

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