Opinion: Capitol Riot headed to trial

The cases against the citizens who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, protest at the U.S. Capitol are making their way through the courts. The ruckus, held the same day President Joe Biden’s election to the nation’s highest office was ratified, was dangerous and ill-advised.

That doesn’t mean I don’t understand the rage one can only assume the demonstrators felt and what motivated their behavior. I believe some of the mob was truly frustrated by what they feel is the unlawful theft of the election for a second term of President Donald Trump. I still feel that way myself.

Since the age of 18, I have spent my entire life as a registered Democrat, that is almost 50 years. People who know me can tell you I have often considered most members of the Republican Party as servitors of the dark.

My mother raised me Democrat and, until recently, I have supported the Democratic Presidential candidates from President John F. Kennedy through Barack Obama.

As much as I believe in the sisterhood of all women, I refused to support Hillary Clinton. I could give you a laundry list of why I would never support her for dog catcher, much less for the highest office in the land.

Now bear in mind, I was only five years old when JFK was campaigning for and elected POTUS. As I’ve written before, my mother, QuoVada Hill, began following JFK’s career when he was a mere congressman. After he was elected president, my mom donated a hand signed letter she had received from Senator Kennedy to a charity auction held by the March of Dimes. Her support and fundraising for the March of Dimes extended to the support my family received when my oldest brother had polio.

If I remember correctly, the high bidder for her JFK letter owned Mac’s Sport Shop and the letter hung on the store’s wall for many years.

If any of you have any information about that letter, I would love to see it and have a photo or copy of it.

Rather than get a sitter, my mother took my brothers and me house-to-house, distributing campaign literature for the JFK/LBJ election. We were five, 10 and 12 years old.

Voting for President Trump reminded me of a political campaign many years ago staged by former Madera Tribune photographer and Madera Mayor, the late Pat O’Rourke.

I told someone at the time of his first run for city council the reason I supported O’Rourke was two pronged. He was a friend who worked at the Madera Irrigation District with my husband, Fred.

The second reason I supported him was he was an independent cuss.

“Pat O’Rourke can’t be bought and won’t be bullied,” I once said. He liked the phrase so much he asked to use it in his campaign.

This is also my belief when it comes to President Trump. It cost him a good part of his personal fortune to get elected and serve as president. Can’t be bought, won’t be bullied.

I’m not so naive that I believe his run for president was for purely altruistic reasons. The power of the office appealed to and fed his enormous ego. But the same can be said for anyone who plays the political game at that level.

Depending which pundit one reads, President Trump may or may not face charges regarding remarks he made during the demonstration at the capitol. There is still a part of me that is fascinated by the way common people put a scare into the members of the legislative branch of our government.

A photo of demonstrator Richard Barnett with his feet propped up on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk is one that I would display. Had he kept his escapade to himself he may have gotten away with it. His posting of the photo on social media stroked his ego and fulfilled his need for public recognition.

I have a great deal of animosity towards Speaker Pelosi and her colleagues who have been in Congress as long as she has. She is in her 18th term, a total of 35 years.

It seems to me that if any of those career politicians could fix what is wrong with our beloved country, they would have done so before now. This is especially true of President Biden. Between his 36 years in the senate, eight years as vice-president and two years as president, he should have accomplished all the goals he has for improving the country.

Instead, too many politicians spend so much of their time trying to get reelected that the needs of the country, and the work they are supposed to be doing, never gets done!

Long days and pleasant nights, have a blessed weekend.

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Readers may contact Tami Jo Nix by emailing tamijonix@gmail.com or following @TamiJoNix on Twitter.