Jan. 6th, in the Christian calendar, is known as the Epiphany, when Jesus of Nazareth is believed to have been discovered, in his infancy, by astrologers “from the East.” It is used to illustrate the conviction that Jesus’ birth is significant for the whole human race. For secular historians, what was shown to the world on Jan. 6th this year was something quite different.
It has been reported that among those carrying out the attempted coup d’etat some wore T-shirts proclaiming “Civil War 6th January 2020,” suggesting that the attack was planned at least some days in advance. Donald Trump and his anti-democratic followers knew that what they planned was an insurrection, and had prepared a “hit list” of Democrat lawmakers that the vengeful president had singled out as enemies.
Joe Biden, assuming he survives to be inaugurated on Jan. 20th, inherits a deeply divided nation.
It has also been reported that the National Guard, which had been deployed during last Summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, which were comparatively peaceful, was conspicuous by its absence from the Jan. 6th attack. The apparent chumminess between attackers and Capitol police underlines, if it needed further emphasis, the systemic bias against peaceful Black demonstrators and in favour of violent white insurrectionists.
The fact that their invasion of the Capitol building did not result in a major bloodbath seems to have been due to the reluctant and belated deployment of the National Guard.
Joe Biden, assuming he survives to be inaugurated on Jan. 20th, inherits a deeply divided nation. Overt violence has now been accepted by many citizens as a legitimate political activity, which will make the Biden presidency a veritable minefield of social and political pressures.
Joe Biden is an old man, the same age as I am, and although a well-seasoned political workhorse, he seems frail — just the sort of target that extreme Rightists love to victimize.
I fear for his physical safety, for his health and strength, and for his mental toughness.
I wish him well. The U.S.A. needs a fence-mender now, a leader who will try to heal the deep divisions that are destroying what was once a leading example of Democracy. Whether or not he and his cabinet of Leftists and Centrists can perform this delicate operation remains to be seen.
Ed Healy
Marystown
