A. L. Kaplan

Tag: riot

  • January 6, 2021 Riot: Never Forget

    January 6, 2021 Riot: Never Forget

    On January 6, 2001, a mob descended on the capital at the behest of Donald Trump for the sole purpose of stopping the ratification of the next lawfully elected president of the United States of America, Joe Biden. The world watched in horror as people assaulted police, vandalized and entered the capital unlawfully, and threatened members of congress and vice president Pence.

    Let us not forget that this wasn’t “a day of love” as Trump is now calling it, and those rioters weren’t patriots. In fact, this was not a random or spontaneous event at all. Many of the participants came prepared with pepper spray, zip ties, and combat gear. These are definitely not the acts of peaceful protesters. Let’s also not forget how many hours passed before Trump, after watching this unfold on live tv, consented to text his people, and tell them to go home.

    This convicted felon will soon be sworn in as our 47th president. He’s promised to pardon all the rioters in the first few hours of his presidency and retaliate against anyone who has ever opposed him. His cabinet choices are all people who will do his bidding, some of whom aren’t qualified for their positions.

    Wake up America. It’s up to us to remember the truth and keep our history from being rewritten and our constitution intact.

    See my January 7, 2021 post: THIS IS NOT AMERICA

  • Three Years Ago Today The World Watched America In Horror: January 6, 2021

    Three Years Ago Today The World Watched America In Horror: January 6, 2021

    THIS IS NOT AMERICA

  • THIS IS NOT AMERICA

    Words cannot convey how upset I am at the events that took place in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021.

    As our country’s leaders met to confirm the electoral vote, protesters rallied outside. But this wasn’t a peaceful event. Fueled by the words of a man sworn to defend our democracy and the constitution of the Unites States, this unruly mob attacked the police, vandalized and broke into the capital, and disrupted government proceedings.

    The instigator is man who has repeatedly spouted false claims of election fraud, despite lack of evidence. Even after his own attorney general and election officials declared Biden president-elect, this man announced that he will never concede the election. All this while officials met to confirm the winner.

    In case you are not clear:

    • Peaceful protesters don’t carry weapons, especially into an area where it is a federal crime to do so.
    • Peaceful protesters don’t assault police officers.
    • Peaceful protesters don’t knock down barricades.
    • Peaceful protesters don’t bring pipe bombs and molotov cocktails to a rally.
    • Peaceful protesters don’t break doors and windows.
    • Peaceful protesters don’t force their way into federal buildings and assault federal employees.
    • Peaceful protesters don’t destroy public property.
    • Peaceful protesters don’t disrupt government officials as they perform their civic duties.
    • Peaceful protesters don’t try to force the stop of the peaceful transition of power.
    • Peaceful protesters don’t bring tasers to a rally and used them on public servants.

    This was a planned riot intent on disrupting our democracy and causing harm to its citizens and property. It was an act of domestic terrorism.

    All participants in this travesty, including those who people who encouraged them, should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

    “The words of a President matter, no matter how good or bad that president is. At their best, the words of a president can inspire. At their worst, they can incite.”

    President Elect Joe Biden

    We’ve yet to hear condemnation for this assault on our democracy from the man who started this riot. I don’t expect we ever will.

  • SUPER-DUDE

    “Stand behind me,” said Clifford. He pulled on a red hat and cape. “I’ll keep you from harm.”

    I clutched my notebook close. The beating of my heart made it bounce against my chest. All I wanted was to write a story about a modern psychiatric hospital, something that I could get published. The one I wrote about the Northgate asylum nearly got me committed. No reputable newspaper would touch a ghost story. If I survived this riot I just might have something.

    “Out of the way Super-Dude,” said a patient holding a metal pipe. “I want that pretty girl.”

    “I won’t allow you to harm her. Turn away or I will be forced to use my powers.”

    Pipe man and his three friends laughed. My stomach twisted. The guards were dead or soon would be. All that stood between me and this crazed mob was a sweet little lunatic who thought he was a super hero.

    “I’m gonna shove that cape and helmet of invisibility down your throat,” said Pipe man. He marched forward, his face twisted in a sneer.

    My friend shook his head. “You’ve been warned.”

    Clifford vanished. The inmates gaped at the empty space where he had stood. So did I. A second later Pipe guy fell to the ground. Blood streamed from his nose. When the second man fell, his friends fled.

    My hero stood guard until the riot ended. I had quite a story to tell—one that only Super-Dude would believe.