The final act of trumpist madness
Hoping that leaving behind us the past year could present itself a renewed prosperity, we have not taken into account the relentless and unpredictable passing of time. In the early days of 2021, some decisive chapters of contemporary history have already been written, but not all have a positive outcome. The recent assault on the United States Capitol is an unprecedented event that should not be considered with superficiality.
Still adamant about his burning defeat, the outgoing US president, Donald Trump, orchestrated the last insane act of his presidency. Further emphasizing the unfounded accusation of illegitimacy regarding Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential elections, his words were decisive in the violent drift assumed by the "Save America March" (6th January 2021), thus encouraging the subsequent occupation of the Capitol. This date is destined to become an indelible page of history, not only the American one, because it demonstrates the deep crisis that characterizes Western society in the third millennium. Today, therefore, the democratic ideal is still the foundation of the State and of the civil value, and it must be jealously guarded.
Consequently, the unacceptable Trumpian attitude cannot be further tolerated; although the president’s words are not officially stained with guilt, it is clear, instead, the role that these played during the siege of Capitol Hill. The speech given by Donald Trump during the - still not violent – march, held just before the attack on the seat of the American Congress, certainly helped to push in the halls of the Capitol, with intent still not properly established, characters such as "Jake Q Shaman," also known as Jacob Chansley. Among the ranks of the protesters, moreover, there were other particularly ambiguous figures, such as conspiracy theorists belonging to the QAnon doctrine, the Groyper army, the Proud Boys and, probably, neo-Nazis, incited by the presidential speech, who have slowed down the inexorable confirmation of the Electoral College in relation to the outcome of the presidential elections. It is necessary to point out that the President’s deplorable behaviour, who enjoyed himself in inciting the crowd through his social channels - from which he was suspended - has encouraged the explosion of a violent protest, culminated in the death of four demonstrators and a policeman.
Therefore, the occupation of the seat of the US Congress cannot be minimized. It is not an isolated incident but a worrying clue, which also inflames the public opinion: firstly, it is particularly debatable how the police officers have treated the demonstrators, apparently facilitating them in pursuing their aims. On the other hand, we should focus on the confrontation with the "Black Lives Matter" movement and the repressive position taken by the police in that particular circumstance, highlighted by President-elect Biden who claims:
«Black Lives Matter protesters would have been ‘treated differently’ at Capitol demonstrations»
Finally, the lack of precautions to prevent an event of this magnitude, in an America particularly attentive to public security since the sad date of 11 September 2001, is certainly enigmatic. In fact, the US seem determined to allocate well more than twenty thousand units of members of the police force at the time of the installation of the Democratic President in the White House.
It is, once again, essential to highlight the unfortunate use of populist rhetoric and charge of hatred and lies - now characteristic of former President Trump –that has also jeopardized the lives of representatives of the House and Senate, specifically the Vice-president Mike Pence. Paradoxically, he has been accused of not having reversed the fate of the Congress meeting, canceling the Biden’s victory, although it was not even constitutionally in his power. Pence was pointed out as a traitor, who failed in his duty and did not commit himself to save the homeland. There are countless controversial aspects and questions surrounding the assault on the Capitol, which must inevitably be understood as a warning, so that these events, extremely risky for our democracies, do not happen again.
Articolo a cura di: Antonino Palumbo