Shots of the Day - # 41 - Your Capitol Locked Down

How We STOP Democracy (7 April 2021)

I like to get into D.C. in the spring. The heroic architecture and early blooms can make for fine compositions. Of course, this spring was different given the continuing pandemic and the fact that the Capitol was still locked down after the January 6 insurrection. When I got there in early April, many blossoms had faded and the centerpiece of our government was still fenced off. I took a few shots and went home.

No Closer Than This (7 April 2021)

Knowing I had these sad images of the capitol, I wanted to post them after Saturday’s ‘Justice for J6’ rally. The gathering was the hard right’s latest attempt to be relevant. First, they said it was really an Antifa riot…Trump enemies masquerading as MAGA faithful, doing their best to besmirch The Dear Leader and wreak havoc on the capitol. Then they said it was really the FBI who was behind the insurrection. When it was finally clear the rioters were actually good old Republican voters and Trump faithful, a number of elected GOP dimwits changed their tune and said it wasn’t really a riot at all…just another peaceful protest...like any other tourist gathering. “They even walked calmly between the velvet ropes after all”…broken windows, assaulted police, vandalized offices and turds on the floor notwithstanding.

The much-anticipated second gathering to show support for the arrested insurrectionists prompts this post. The event organizers say the arrested and charged seditionists are just poor, misunderstood patriots and are really mistreated political prisoners. I’ll pause until you stop laughing…or pulling out your hair.

Shut Out of the People’s House (7 April 2021)

Fearing mass arrests and maybe realizing that the last protest did not score many points with the public, many of Trump’s stalwarts stayed away and the turnout was paltry. Between the heavily-armored cops, considerable media presence and curious onlookers, the protesters were vastly outnumbered.

As a capitol collector, I have always enjoyed exploring the centers of our national and state governments…and still appreciate our democratic republic for the creation our Founding Fathers left to us. It is disheartening to see what ignorance and bad intentions can do.