At first there was Rage

On September 11, 2001 I was living alone and doing something on my computer when a friend called to tell me that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center. I didn't completely understand what she told me and assumed that a small private plane had accidently hit the building. I turned on the TV and slowly realized what had/was happening. I felt the rage boiling up inside of me, and when I couldn't watch the TV anymore went outside and chopped wood. I swung that axe like a man possessed, all the while wishing I had my old uniform and M1 rifle and could get at whoever was responsible for the attack. 

Yesterday, as the magnitude of what was happening unfolded I had those same thoughts and experienced that same rage. I went outside and raked and burned leaves like a madman, all the while wishing I could join the overwhelmed police force with my 9mm in hand confronting those 'patriots' (that's what Ivanka Trump called them). After about four hours I was able to enter the house and talk civilly with Maribel. 

For hours I watched various news sites, all of them broadcasting the same mob footage, and commenting about how unprepared security was, and how the world was watching, and how shameful this looks for America, and how Trump was doing nothing. Trump instigated it...why would he want to stop it? Most of the reporting was peripheral to the immediate concerns. I don't give a damn what Turkey or the UK might be thinking about us, nor do I care to listen to the shocked opinion of a former mail carrier who once delivered mail to the Capital. There is time for that fluff after the scum has been removed from the building and order restored. 

I thought about all the "day of infamy" and "worst day in America's history" comments and at first bought into them, but as I watched the Senate and House return to their places and resume the confirmation process I realized that there is another point of view, that we showed our decent citizens and the world that America can survive and rise above something like this. That the mob of Trumpers didn't accomplish anything outside of disrupting for only a few hours democracy in action. My anger and sadness was gone. It was replaced with pride, and I'm not ashamed to say that I teared up when Pence pounded the gavel ending the proceedings. 

I want to see those who entered the Capital hunted down and jailed. I dismissed any thought about punishing Trump, mainly because he'll be out of office soon, but then I heard a news commentator voice a thought about Trump possibly pardoning the mob members. I don't know if he has the authority to do that but I wouldn't put it past him to try. I hope that the reported talk about removing Trump from office via the 25th amendment is true and that it actually happens. His occupying the Oval Office for even two hours let alone two weeks is not only risky, but is an affront to the office of the Presidency.