Former First LadyMichelle Obamahas released a statement addressing Wednesday’s violent rioting at the U.S. Capitol.
On Thursday, Mrs. Obama shared a lengthy message on social media and shared how her “heart had fallen harder and faster than” she could remember, just hours after celebrating the victory of newly elected Georgia senator Raphael Warnock.
“In just a few hours, though, my heart had fallen harder and faster than I can remember. Like all of you, I watched as a gang—organized, violent, and mad they’d lost an election—laid siege to the United States Capitol. They set up gallows. They proudly waved the traitorous flag of the Confederacy through the halls. They desecrated the center of American government. And once authorities finally gained control of the situation, these rioters and gang members were led out of the building not in handcuffs, but free to carry on with their days,” she said, referencing the Black Lives Matter protests that took place in the summer.
Michelle Obama.Jim Bennett/Getty; Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty
“The day was a fulfillment of the wishes of an infantile and unpatriotic president who can’t handle the truth of his own failures. And the wreckage lays at the feet of a party and media apparatus that gleefully cheered him on, knowing full well the possibility of consequences like these,” Mrs. Obama continued.
Amid Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud, thousands gathered in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday for a pro-Trump rally. While addressing his supporters, Trump encouraged them to march to the Capitol, where lawmakers were meeting to ratify the electoral college votes.
“It all left me with so many questions—questions about the future, questions about security, extremism, propaganda, and more. But there’s one question I just can’t shake: What if these rioters had been like the folks who go to Ebenezer Baptist Church every Sunday? What would have been different?” Mrs. Obama shared in her statement on Thursday.
“I think we all know the answer. This summer’s Black Lives Matter protests were an overwhelmingly peaceful movement—our nation’s largest demonstrations ever, bringing together people of every race and class and encouraging millions to re-examine their own assumptions and behavior. And yet, in city after city, day after day, we saw peaceful protestors met with brute force. We saw cracked skulls and mass arrests, law enforcement pepper spraying its way through a peaceful demonstration for a presidential photo op,” the former first lady wrote.
“And for those who call others unpatriotic for simply taking a knee in silent protest, for those who wonder why we need to be reminded that Black Lives Matter at all, yesterday made it painfully clear that certain Americans are, in fact, allowed to denigrate the flag and symbols of our nation. They’ve just got to look the right way. What do all those folks have to say now?” she noted.
“Seeing the gulf between the responses to yesterday’s riot and this summer’s peaceful protests and the larger movement for racial justice is so painful. It hurts. And I cannot think about moving on or turning the page until we reckon with the reality of what we saw yesterday. True progress will be possible only once we acknowledge that this disconnect exists and take steps to repair it. And that also means coming to grips with the reality that millions voted for a man so obviously willing to burn our democracy down for his own ego,” Mrs. Obama said.
TheBecomingauthor also called on lawmakers who supported Trump to “forcefully rebuke him.”
Mrs. Obama concluded, “And if we have any hope of improving this nation, now is the time for swift and serious consequences for the failure of leadership that led to yesterday’s shame.”
In avideo messagereleased hours after the breach, Trump finally called on his supporters to go home, while also telling them, “we love you, you’re very special.”
The video, posted on Trump’s social media, was soon removed or restricted on Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere due to “risk of violence.” On Thursday, Facebook went on to announce that Trump has beenbanned “indefinitely”from its platforms.
While continuing to repeat his unfounded claims of election fraud, on Thursday morning, Trump officially agreed to an"orderly” transition of power.
In addition to delaying members of Congress fromcertifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, the riots led to thedeaths of four people.
Former PresidentBarack Obamapreviously released a statement, calling the violent act “amoment of great dishonor and shame.”
“Their fantasy narrative has spiraled further and further from reality, and it builds upon years of sown resentments. Now we’re seeing the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo,” he continued.
Obama then voiced his support for those who have condemned the riots, saying, “I’ve been heartened to see many members of the President’s party speak up forcefully today.”
“We need more leaders like these — right now and in the days, weeks, and months ahead as President-Elect Biden works to restore a common purpose to our politics,” he added. “It’s up to all of us as Americans, regardless of party, to support him in that goal.”
Former presidentsGeorge W. Bush,Bill ClintonandJimmy Carterhave also spoken out about the violence at the Capitol.
source: people.com
