The peaceful transition of political power lies at the heart of democracy. Resorting to violence to stop that process must not be allowed.
Supporters of President Donald Trump invaded and temporarily occupied the halls of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, where Congress was the process of certifying the election of President-elect Joe Biden.
Before this incident, Trump addressed a large rally of these supporters in front of the White House, where he claimed the presidential election was fraudulent, and called on the crowd to march to the Capitol. Trump’s remarks were directly connected to the occupation of the Capitol which followed and led to an act of sedition.
Trump’s rash behavior and irresponsible language and action deserve to be harshly criticized. After instigating the events, Trump posted a video on Twitter, telling his supporters, “I know your pain … But you have to go home now.” The appeal to his supporters to disperse came too late.
The events at the Capitol have left a monumental stain on U.S. history. It will take considerable effort to restore America’s prestige.
Biden’s victory and popular vote in last November’s election has been confirmed, but Trump has refused to concede. Trump took legal action, alleging election fraud, but his lawsuits were dismissed for lack of evidence. By pressuring Georgia’s secretary of state to “find 11,780 votes,” Trump crossed the line into coercive conduct.
Five people died as a result of the insurrection at the Capitol, including a woman who was shot by Capitol police. This tragic bloodshed in a building that symbolizes U.S. democracy is shocking.
The United States is a leader among democratic nations, as opposed to countries like the despotic Communist China. We must be concerned when we see incidents like this which demonstrate that democracy is broken in America.
Trump won 74 million votes, the largest number of votes of any sitting U.S. president in history, but still fell short of vote for Biden.
The U.S. presidential election ends when the defeated candidate congratulates the winner. Such customs are the essential lubricant that makes democracy work.
The transition of the presidential office will occur at noon on Jan. 20. In a video posted on Jan. 7, Trump said, “A new administration will be inaugurated on Jan. 20. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power.” In effect, he is conceding defeat at last.
Although Trump’s remaining time in office is short, we hope he will reflect on how his speech and conduct have wounded democracy, and that he will take responsibility for ensuring a smooth transition of power.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.