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I’m in the Capitol today for events to commemorate the violent
insurrection of one year ago. And I didn’t want to let the day get away from
me without sending you some thoughts.
I remember the January 6th attack on the Capitol like it was yesterday.
“Please grab a mask!” a Capitol Police officer shouted, referring to the
gas masks under each chair in the House chamber. “Be prepared to don your
mask in the event the room is breached… Just be prepared. Stay calm.”
There is nothing like being told to stay calm to get one’s heart beating
faster. Verbal shouting matches broke out on the House Floor and Gallery. One
of my Democratic colleagues yelled at Republicans, “This is because of you!”
The reply from a Republican was a defensive and succinct, “shut up!” Recriminations
spread as we waited for police to secure an escape route.
The din of the insurrectionists grew louder as the minutes dragged on.
That’s when I heard it. A tremendous thud — something had been thrust against
the doors not twenty yards away from me, battering them. Thud. A
moment later, again: thud.
“You need to get out!” a police officer shouted, and directed us to a set
of open doors. “Move!”
“You can’t let them see you,” one of the Republican members told me. He
said that he knew these people, that he could talk to them, but that I was in
a whole different category. He was right. If the insurrectionists broke
through the doors, I would likely be one of the first they would come after.
I was touched by the evident concern of these GOP members. But that
emotion rapidly gave way to another. If they hadn’t been pushing the Big Lie
about our elections, I wouldn’t need to worry over my safety. None of us
would.
They were insurrectionists, too, these members in suits and ties, sworn to
uphold the constitution but unwilling to honor their oaths. After brave
police officers finally cleared the building and it was safe for us to return
to complete the joint session, a majority of Republican members STILL voted
to overturn the election.
In the wake of that awful day, I hoped that we might turn a corner, that
Republicans would come to repudiate Trump and Trumpism, after seeing the
terrible devastation it brought to our country and democracy. Instead, in the
days, weeks, months, and year since, they have doubled down on the Big Lie
and used it to attack the work of nonpartisan elections officials around the
country and the right to vote.
It is all too tragically the case, that our democracy is at greater risk
today, than it was one year ago. Our Capitol building may be better
protected, but the democracy it stands for is not. We must awaken to the
threat.
I hope the anniversary of January 6th will inspire a renewed commitment to
the cherished ideals of our founders, that we will rededicate ourselves to
the great experiment in self-governance that they conceived, and strengthen
its protections.
We will get through this difficult time in our history. America is a
deeply resilient country filled with patriotic citizens who love our
democracy, and those who do, vastly outnumber those trying to tear it down.
I put my faith in the optimism of our founders. I hope you will too.
Please take care of yourselves, and thank you for all your support during
these trying times.
— Adam
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