Only a few days into 2021 and it would seem we have crossed the void into some Orwellian, post-apocalyptic nightmare, with people storming government offices armed with guns, causing the members to fear for their lives as their offices are ransacked and people are killed. It began on Wednesday, when news hit that the Capitol building had been put into lockdown over fears for the safety of the staff and people inside, as there was an enormous crowd of aggressive Trump protestors gathering around the House. Only a few hours later and incentivised by a blisteringly pompous and pugnacious speech by President Trump, in which he told the soon to be domestic terrorists ‘We love you,’ and ‘You’re very special people’, the aggressive protestors became rioters as they stormed Capitol, some armed with guns, in a birdbrained attempt to refute the ratification of President Elect Joseph R. Biden. Very soon, we heard the ghastly news that four people have tragically died due to the riots, and that mass resignations from the Republican party ensue at the terrible handling and blatant support of the siege by President Trump. But through all this anarchy and civil unrest, I began to wonder what the great and political masterminds of American history, The Founding Fathers, would have made of it.
Firstly, The Founding Fathers, contrary to the popular belief, hated democracy and much like Plato argued that in practice it had many flaws and failures. As Benjamin Franklin observed: “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!”. They were fervent and adamant libertarians, much like the terrorists in congress claim to be fighting for their liberty at the moment and are completely rejecting the ruling of the election and therefore the premise of democracy as a whole. My guess is that The Founding Fathers would be in total support of the riots of congress, as Thomas Jefferson declared “What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance. Let them take arms,”. I would go as even far too suggested that if the founding fathers of America, were alive today they would be thrown in prison and be charged as domestic terrorist by todays government, much as we can expect to see from the rioters in the current pro-Trump siege. I understand to some this may feel a bit anticlimactic, perhaps you were hoping to read about the pure disgust and horror the fathers would have viewed the riots with, but we must understand that our rhetoric and political conscience has changed significantly since the days of Adams and Jefferson. It is a different world to the one they created the Constitution in; we have a larger focus on equality and matters of fairness.
The riots and siege are most certainly atrocious acts and an embarrassment to the United States of America, which currently feel like the Divided States of America. But it shook me to the core not only because of their scandalous behaviour and damage caused- but the idea that democracy a prospect that humanity has strived towards for the last millennia could once again risk being destroyed.
Jay Frederick Palombella- (07/01/21)
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