by Peter Weinberger | pweinberger@claremont-courier.com

I’m sure our readers are well aware of what happened in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday as thousands of pro-Trump protesters stormed their way into the Capitol during the vote to confirm Joe Biden as president. Four people killed, with many others injured as lawmakers ducked for cover, then fled the Senate and House chambers to safety.

Of course, all this occurred after yet another angry Trump speech about how the election was stolen from him. So he incites a riot, as his right wing supporters treat the siege as a trip to Disneyland.

Martin Weinberger is rolling over in his grave right now. Our democracy was attacked by thugs, some carrying Confederate flags to support a deranged president—and the Republican Party let this happen.

Time and time and time again they had the opportunity to stuff a sock in Trump’s mouth by telling him this had to stop. Yet there was silence.

Now, thanks to his false and incendiary social media posts, his Twitter and Facebook accounts have been frozen indefinitely. Even former Attorney General William Barr called Trump’s actions a “betrayal of his office.” But why couldn’t all these conservative voices say something while Trump attempted to tear down our democracy?

Now Donald Trump will leave his office burning, going down as the most corrupt president in the history of the United States.

When Trump was recorded attempting to strong-arm Georgia’s secretary of state to “find” him votes, that was the first indication of where he was headed. As the lies easily rolled off his tongue, I was amazed at how it all seemed so natural.  Now we are dealing with the first breach of the Capitol since 1812. No typo, 1812. Now Trump knows he’s really in hot water, which is why his broadcast Thursday evening said all the right things. It was so painful to watch, especially knowing everything said was a lie. Now there’s a serious threat he will be impeached.

Maybe we should think about the words in our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner, based on the experience of Americans who fought to the death to protect our country.

O say can you see by the dawn’s early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight

O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave

There’s no question that Trump is his own worst enemy. He could have won re-election by simply doing his job as president. But that isn’t his way. Now he will be remembered as a complete disgrace and failure, who incited a riot in our nation’s capital. History will not be kind to him.

Over the past four years, I’ve talked to dozens of Trump supporters who told me I got it all wrong. Some canceled their COURIER subscriptions. The emails were the worst, as a few were disguised as thinly veiled threats. But early on I felt the need to take a stand against a conman who puts himself first. That ended up being 11 columns over a four-year period. That’s not really a lot, but it was important to me to try to set the record straight by telling the truth, supported by facts.

I encourage our readers to go to page 16 and read Reverend Ignacio Castuera’s commentary on forgiveness, reconciliation and reckoning. It was written several weeks ago. I even found it somewhat helpful in trying to make sense of this mess.

In the meantime, let’s celebrate the fact that Trump is not only on his way out, but has become unelectable to hold office again—replaced by an adult who takes his oath to America seriously.

Let us never forget the real winner here is American democracy. And as news continues to develop, even with a short time in office remaining, Congress should act immediately to impeach this president. Trump has proven time and again he simply cannot be trusted.

Photo courtesy of mtonline.