Dear editor,
I have some questions about the front-page Enterprise story of January 13 on the violence in our nation’s Capitol and those who attended it. With all due respect to Charlie Bowman and Carrie Helms, I do not understand how they can conclude that members of “Antifa” were much involved in the
insurrection that took place on January 6. Helms implies that some people, by merely wearing “camouflage shorts and their caps turned around,” must have been members of the anti-fascist group that opposes white supremacists, Neo-Nazis, and other hate groups. Really? Is this the “uniform” that
designates them?
Most of the video that I’ve seen shows MAGA-hatted people waving Trump flags along with a few Confederate flags. Did anyone not see the man with the “Camp Auschwitz” T-shirt also?
So far, it appears that most leaders of the mob who attacked the Capitol were affiliated with such groups as the racist Proud Boys, deluded QAnon conspiracy advocates, neo-Nazis and other right-wing extremist groups. Though the FBI investigation is ongoing, I would be very surprised if any Antifa or
left-leaning supporters were found to be “masquerading” as Trump supporters. Time will tell.
Though Bowman’s and Helms’s intentions were not violent, many among the group assembled at the Trump “rally” obviously had such intentions and were encouraged by Donald Trump’s incendiary words. Did anyone really expect such hate groups to NOT be attending this gathering and NOT be encouraged by the man they worship in a cult-like fashion?
As for the “non-violent” aspect of this Trump-requested gathering, the President is on video calling for his followers to “fight like hell” to essentially force his own vice president and Congress to change the outcome of the recent election. His personal attorney advocated a “trial by combat” too. What exactly does that mean other than violence?
Trump had stated that he would “never give up” on the idea that he “won,” the recent election while it’s beyond obvious that he lost by a very large margin, an election already certified by many of his most ardent supporters. Apparently, telling the same lie over and over again can convince many people of something that is completely bogus.
As for the number of people involved in storming the Capitol, I saw many hundreds of people on the Capitol steps and crashing into the building, so it would appear that many more than “one percent” of the crowd took part.
Personally, I would not want to be in any way associated with neo-Nazis, Proud Boys, QAnon members, or with white supremacists of any kind who participated in the Trump-inspired event of January 6, 2021. This was a clear attack on our nation’s rule of law and form of government whether some of those in attendance realize it or not.
John Reynolds,
Critz
