Wednesday, January 6th, 2021 proved to be one of the many pinnacles to determine just how this year may go. Domestic terrorists from across the country banned together to barge, steal, and ramshackle Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. Barging and forcing their way through the barricades and police officers, of various rankings, they broke in to one of the nations most prominent buildings, Capitol Hill. The insurrectionists powered by anger, fear and confusion bashed the windows and entered their way into the building, forcing government elected officials to hide in their offices for solace. Four of the rioters died during the incident, with one being shot and the others from medical emergencies. More than thousands of the mob, came from every which side of the 50 states of America, if that’s what it’s chosen to be called. The  National Guard was phoned too late to contain the more than forty-thousand Trump supporters and even the FBI security, whom duty it is to protect those in dire circumstances, were too late and little arrests were made. The exact number, 30 people, and that’s due to the fact that they were out past the mandated curfew given by the mayor. One might say with the chaos that has happened, out of the listed 2,300 officers and civilian employees, why weren’t the police doing anything about it as they did during the harsh months for Black people.

In June 2020, the National Guard troops were deployed to the Lincoln Memorial, when BLM protestors were peacefully marching for the wrongful death of Houston-native George Floyd. Protesters were faced with tear gas, arrests and of course further violence, 26 of 55 which were made on those very grounds of the US Capitol. A contradicting response to the Trump supporters that flooded

the steps, with bombs, knives, and other artillery

Photo obtained from CNN: WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES- National Guard troops deployed to the Lincoln Memorial on the eighth day of protests in Washington DC, United States on June 2, 2020. Protests continue for the death of George Floyd at the hands of a policeman in Minnesota last Monday (25). Several people pointed out that in that same place Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I have a dream” speech in 1963.

used for violence, whom afterwards were escorted out of the very building that POC wouldn’t even have a change to place a toe on. Enough is enough, as Barrack Obama said, “Republican leaders have a choice made clear in the desecrated chambers of democracy. They can continue down this road and keep stoking the raging fires. Or they can choose reality and take the first steps towards extinguishing the flames. They can choose America…” He continued in his response to the travesty, saying, “History will rightly remember violence at the Capitol, incited by a president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation. But we’d be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise.”

Photos have erupted of the vandalism being planned for what is being called ‘coup’. But just how much can people take? Almost all of our Black leaders and officials have been arrested for peacefully protesting over the disrespect, and unlawful brutality done by police officers towards POC. Yet, when the tables are turned, rather flipped over, how is it that they now know not to use excessive force towards people using excessive force on them? Thoughts? Where were the police vans, the SWAT vans, the rubber bullets, the tear gas, where was the equal treatment that many against our culture say we have so much of? Nowhere to be found or looked for.

July 15, 2020, Houston-legend and activist Trae tha Truth along with almost 88 protesters were arrested and held in a cold, dilapidated jail cell because they were marching for Breonna Taylor, a Louisville EMT shot to death in her home while she slept, because narcotics officers for one had the wrong apartment and two had a no-knock warrant. The protestors stood in front of Daniel Cameron’s yard during their demonstration, and of course arrests were made. Officials charged the protestors with intimidating a participant in legal process, a Class D felony, disorderly conduct 2nd degree, Class B misdemeanor, and criminal trespass 3rd degree, a violation. America, right.

Fast-forwarding to the events that took place on Wednesday, January 6th, 2021, and the FBI is still searching for the individuals who were there. As if there isn’t enough footage for everyone to see. The news is rather lowered in its content surrounding what transpired and has allowed social media to be the primary outlet for it. However, when BLM protesters were marching in solidarity against police brutality, cameras couldn’t have arrived fast enough for the violence that was about to erupt on the streets. Several, many, thousands of BLM protestors were injured, arrested, tear-gassed, shocked with tasers and yet when it cam down to the one violation, that being the infiltration of a government building, where was the treatment? America, right. In the words of Trae Tha Truth: “How about you use the same energy for the cops who killed #Breonna Taylor?”

Even Donald Trump said on May 29, 2020 in his response to BLM, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” There was looting and rioting but there was no shooting. Many of which went to various offices that belonged to the officials both Democratic and Republican to rummage through their things and have a sit down at their desk. America, right.

Let’s re-write America the Beautiful and instead name it America, the Great Divide. Â