Today is Friday, but it is not a typical Friday, so I’m not going to treat it as such. Two days ago, a pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol and flew the Confederate Flag inside the building – something that never even happened during the Civil War.
If I have to explain to you why pushing your way into our country’s Capitol building and threatening the lives of our Senators – and delaying the certification of the presidential election – isn’t a bigger deal than looting Target or Black Lives Matter protests, then I probably can’t explain it. There are no two sides here.
I had such hope on Wednesday morning, when Georgia saw its first ever Black Senator and first ever Jewish Senator elected. Then just hours later, that hope turned to dread as I watched the events unfold in Washington DC. I wish I could say that I was completely surprised by what happened, but while I was shocked, after the last four years of steady escalation, I would have been more surprised if the confirmation of the election results had gone off without a hitch.
And as I said Thursday on Twitter, Happy National Gaslighting Day. Already too many people are attempting to blame “Antifa” while publicly known figures participated in Wednesday’s events. President Trump incited the violence and encouraged his followers to walk down to the Capitol. If trying to now say that’s not what happened isn’t gaslighting, then I don’t know what is.
Clearly, I’m not writing a normal “Friday’s Frugal Five” post today, because it feels wrong. We are still in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic and record numbers of Americans continue to be infected and die due to the virus. So yeah, while I did some frugal stuff this week and got some great runs in, I’m not going to talk about that.
Life goes on more or less like “normal” for my family right now, for whatever can be considered “normal” during a global pandemic and an attack on your country’s center of government. But that doesn’t mean things are anywhere near normal this week. We are just a few weeks away from Inauguration Day, where we will hopefully usher in a new and better era for our country. I just hope and pray we can get there in tact.
PS. Wednesday was my husband’s birthday. Definitely not one he’s likely to forget.
I’m stunned. What an unbelievable desecration of our democracy. 😔
And people are already ready to move on, it seems.
I can assure you that the rest of the world, like you, was appalled but not surprised.
We’re all watching with interest to see what happens next.
Stay safe.
Appalled but not surprised. That makes me so so angry. And scared, tbh.
I’m new to your blog but enjoyed your interview on the ChooseFI podcast. I’m interested in the overlap between early retirement, frugality, and sustainable living so I look forward to diving in to your content.
I also live in Washington, DC and was appalled by the riot on Wednesday less than two miles from my home. Really scary stuff, I was at a loss for words when I was trying to explain what was happening to my three teenagers as the events were unfolding.
I’m glad you decided to write about your reactions. I think we all need thing deeply about our next steps toward building back a better country.
Thank you for sharing and glad to have you here 🙂 What a scary thing to happen so close to you too. Please stay safe ♥️
Your Canadian neighbours mourn alongside you for all the losses you’ve already suffered… and then this.
Wednesday’s events were appalling. None of us could have imagined something worse than what’s already happened the last four years.
I know that good will eventually overcome, but that victory can’t come soon enough. ❤️❤️❤️
Someday our border will be open again and I’ll get to come say hi to you in person. But to be honest, if I were Canada I wouldn’t want is even without the pandemic right now 😖
Thank you for voicing what so many of us are feeling! The mobs and insurrection at the capitol building on Wednesday was absolutely horrifying. And on top of all that upsetting news, I hate that it overshadowed Georgia’s historic election results (which rightfully should be celebrated).
It’s been one whole week. How has it only been a week?
Absolutely horrified and embarrassed, angry and everything else.. 4 years ago, I’m like what’s the worst thing he could do??? But here we are.
Yeah…. I didn’t expect good things then, but wow. Not sure I quite expected *this*
As someone who is from Alabama and is represented by one of the morons inciting the idiots (Rep. Mo Brooks) and who lives 25 minutes from the man who brought guns/explosives to a “peaceful rally”, all I can say is that I am not surprised this happened at all. If I could share all of the crazy posts from my FB feed I would. My kids were appalled that so many of their friends’ parents were totally okay with what happened and even made excuses for those nutballs. I hope better things are on the horizon because 2021 seems dismal….
Yeah…. not sure how people were surprised by what happened. Or what is likely still yet to come 🙁
So sorry what your country is going through. The wounds will take a long time to heal and the world image is forever changed. I am a forever optimist and have highest hopes for the future for all my friends like you. Stay strong, focus on what you control and do your best to encourage good people to do good things.
Yeah. Be glad to be north of the border, my friend.
re: not being completely surprised…that’s essentially how I felt watching things unfold. It was shocking to actually see…but perhaps more so, it was shocking (and horrifying) how not surprising it felt. Echoing the sentiments of hoping things start looking up for 2021 soon…
Yeah, shocking and horrifying and yet not completely surprising… ugh c