When I woke up this morning I was feeling really good. Today was supposed to be the day that the electoral vote was finalized and Biden officially recognized as president-elect. It was also looking like Georgia had elected two Democrats.
The day has taken a very ugly and frightening turn.
As I write this, right-wing terrorists have stormed the US Capitol building and are causing chaos and destruction. So far it seems that the DC and Capitol police have been ineffective at stopping them. I am not clear if the rioters are armed or not.
Let's remember that not that long ago the police used tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful protestors who were outdoors so that 45 could have a photo-op. As far as I can tell so far there has not been a proportionate response to this violent attack.
I am really, really scared of what this means and what comes next. It was scary enough when our institutions were under metaphorical attack, but now the attack is literal and violent.
A friend was saying that he thought this was the coup attempt in motion. Another friend asked if this was the beginning of a civil war. At this point, who knows? All I am certain of is that this attack changes everything. If the Capitol isn't safe from attack, where is? If the police and national guard are powerless to stop something like this, what good are they? And where does this leave us? Do we even have a country worth fighting for if things like this can happen so easily?
What kind of a country will my children grow up in? I've been wondering for months if it was time to think about leaving. Biden's victory quieted those voices, but they are back with a roar now. The next few hours and days will be telling.
I started writing this blog so that I would have a record of this horrible time and so I could remember how things were as it progressed. It felt important to post now as history is unfolding and our institutions are collapsing. Let us hope that when we look back at this post we can think of how silly and hyperbolic it sounds.