Thoughts On The Insurrections At The Capitol

Shock. Sadness. Anger. Humiliation.

These were the immediate emotions so many of us felt last week as we watched an angry mob of seditious insurrectionists, encouraged by our own President, attempt to impose their will, and invalidate the legitimate votes of millions of citizens in our country.

In the end, five people lost their lives including a Capital Police Officer who was trying to help contain the mob and defend our country and the freedoms we extol. Over the last several days I have been repeatedly asking myself how we came to this sad moment in history. Our Capitol building sacked, our unity in tatters, and our democracy on the brink. How could we let ourselves reach this point?

It begins with a lie. A lie so big that nearly any conspiracy theory with enough creativity can attach itself. The lie was that the election was stolen from the President despite there being no legitimate proof of that occurring. The seed of this lie was planted years before the election even took place when the President routinely suggested that millions of ballots were cast illegally in 2016 and 2018. When asked for evidence of the electioneering, he had none, just as he could not provide any in 2020. However, his goal was never to prove the election was rigged. Rather, it was far more malicious and dangerous than that. He is actively undermining our trust in our country and our elections to create an air of suspicion so that he can claim victory despite any outcome.  

To be clear, the President’s goals were never about making sure his supporters voices were “heard.” He never cared about their political agenda or their views. He cared about not losing the election. He was, and is, willing to sacrifice people for that cause. The rioters who stormed the Capital are going to jail, they are losing their jobs, and they are paying the price for serving someone who did not have their best interest at heart.

Leadership is about being outwardly focused and serving those around you in the hopes of helping as many people as possible. Nothing in the comments the President made moments before the riot, or in the months leading up to it, were in service of anyone but himself and his delusion that he could change the outcome of the election through manipulation and force. That is not leadership. Due to the President’s complete lack of leadership, he has tarnished our nation and his office. There is no equivalency to the actions he inspired or the lies he has sown in the years leading up to it.

So, where do we go from here? We first must acknowledge that the President was wrong and should immediately resign the presidency, as no real leader would have incited the acts of violence that occurred that day. Additionally, we must reaffirm our beliefs in our democracy and the core ideals enshrined in our constitution. Ideals that believe in the rule of law, ideals that focus on democratic values, and ideals that fundamentally encourage us to disagree but in ways that continue to move our country forward in a united fashion.

I am sure some may ask why the mayor of a community in Pennsylvania felt the need to weigh in on this important topic. That is because we are all stewards of our democracy. We all must practice preserving and improving our country so that we can continue to be that shining city on a hill where so many have made better lives for themselves. We need all leaders, at all levels, to come out and decry the events at the Capital to showcase that we are not going to fall to the whims of a factious group of rioters enflamed by the words of a weak leader. Instead, we will stand strong, arm in arm, with each other with a united goal of protecting our democracy from such destructive beliefs and behaviors.

Only as a united community can we help repair our democracy. Only together can we build that city on a hill where we all are united.