Violence not patriotic

by Brenda Allington, Florence

I had the good fortune to be stationed at Andrews AFB as a young officer. There is something about Washington DC that defies description. Touring the White House, the Capitol, the amazing museums, and walking between national monuments is not like any other city on earth.

I have had the privilege of being in the Capitol multiple times, meeting with my senators, and witnessing presentations of bills on the Senate floor—a few now prominent in history. And I remember being under the rotunda on a glorious sunny day looking up at clear blue skies dotted with marshmallow clouds and feeling a profound sense of awe and praise to my God for a moment such as this.

I have to wonder how many of the people who desecrated the Capitol had ever been there before, or even set foot in Washington D.C.? Obviously, the person who sent a selfie “from the White House” had never been there—but my guess is– few if any had. To blindly do such an unthinkable act—especially on behalf of someone morally bankrupt, is appalling! That should have been the end of Donald Trump’s ego games. I have to wonder what kind of person spreads feces ANYWHERE, let alone on a national treasure. And I can’t help but feel for the maintenance workers whose job it was to clean it. I have always noticed how much pride the staff of the various tourist sites show toward visitors in sharing their treasure.  

I am sickened by the behavior exhibited that day—not to mention the lives that were taken or forever changed. Yet, there is no apology or shame or atonement. Make no mistake—the only heroes that day were the brave men and women who protected the more vulnerable and saved our democracy! FULL STOP! I do not understand cult behavior—maybe because I have never felt a void so deep that I am willing to fill it with adoration of a deplorable man whose only real talent is identifying that void and using manipulation to fill it.

“To whom much has been given, much is expected.” Let’s start with a return to self-respect and civility. And NOT a repeat of deplorable behavior.