SIMPLE & QUICK: Whitewashing Republican terrorism denies the United States the socio-political reckoning and reconstruction necessary to prevent mainstreaming terrorism and calls for civil war

The insurrection of the U.S. Capitol complex marks an inflection point in American history. What the United States does as a democracy in the next 120 days will determine the country’s direction for the next two or more decades. The country will purge itself of political terrorism, all of its enablers, and reconstruct its socio-economic construct, or the country will choose to absorb political terrorism as it has normalized school shootings and whitewash the big lie, continuing an absurd tailspin into a second civil war.

The most dangerous decision Americans can make is to whitewash the insurrection and terrorist attack. It cannot be dismissed that current and former military and law enforcement are among the white supremacist militiamen whom lead a violent attempted coup on the American democratic process. They constructed gallows intended for Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Organized terrorist insurrectionist members were equipped with fire arms, Molotov cocktails, rope, flex-cuffs, complex schematics, walkie-talkies and a hit-list of congressional members. The terrorists maintained communication and orchestrated control over the angry mob assembled outside. The mob was organized and incited by President Trump. The 45th POTUS began advertising he and his terrorists’ “wild day” on December 19th via social media.

On the morning of January 6th, President Donald Trump held a rally outside of the White House. He told supporters, “[A]fter this, we’re going to walk down there, and I’ll be there with you, we’re going to walk down [Pennsylvania Avenue] . . . Because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong . . . We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen. You don’t concede when there’s theft involved . . . Our country has had enough. We’re not going to take it anymore.”

The affront to American democracy was direct and in public view. After the siege took place, Donald Trump released a statement reading, “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!”

In the week since, Donald John Trump has become the first American president to be impeached twice. The second Senate impeachment trial of Mr. Trump will coincide with the incoming Cabinet confirmation process and the new Biden Administration’s consequential first hundred days.

How Americans respond to the undoubtedly damning evidence forthcoming by FBI, DOJ, and Congressional investigations is paramount. If the evidence leads to the Nation learning that its domestic terrorists include members of Congress, members of the Armed Forces, local police and other law enforcement officers, then Americans must accept the proof and purge terrorism from its body politic. The action and behavior of in-coming POTUS Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., his administration, and their policies will provide a social dais from which Americans will either build back better or make America civil war again.

Americans must confront their white supremacist terrorist dilemma directly as the terrorists did America on January 6th. The collective evidence must be used to lead Americans into an era of reconstruction. This second reconstruction must not be politically stymied. America must actualize the multiracial democracy it promised only after it ended slavery, castigated Jim Crow, and systematically reversed segregation.

Reconstruction must focus on the next chapter of social equity and provide direct relief to Americans financially through cancelling medical debt, cancelling student loan debt, and forgiving rent and mortgage delinquencies generated by the global pandemic. Reconstruction must invest in implementing 5G high speed Internet as a nationwide service. Reliable Internet access is vital for success in modern society. The affordable housing crisis must be tackled Federally. Urban and rural planning focused on rehabilitating existing communities, developing new communities and fully funding schools inside and outside of urban density is paramount in sowing the seed for social equity.

The Federal government must help States confront food deserts in low socio-economic neighborhoods. Pricing out nutritious whole foods for the majority of Americans and replacing their grocery stores with Dollar General and gas station markets has exacerbated food insecurity and exponentiated poor public health. Congress must implement regulations and tax incentives that encourage small private businesses to re-enter forgotten communities and revitalize struggling main streets and small town commercial districts.

If Americans rebuke white supremacy terrorism as a valid tool of political expediency and instead direct national focus on rebuilding the country, then the United States will actualize what it attempted in the first reconstruction. Destructive political forces are only as strong as the systems they attack are weak.

If disillusioned Americans receive real financial relief and are encouraged to rebuild themselves and their communities through education, healthcare, and business incentives, then the Great Society will emerge. Petty grievances exacerbated by social and economic inequity will subside and domestic terrorism will become again irrelevant.

However, if Americans refuse to use this moment in their history to address widespread inequity in all of its manifestations, then a societal tailspin toward a second civil war becomes more than just a boogie man.