Diary 331

Saturday, February 13th

The Senate decided not acquit the ‘president’. I wonder about this. Mike Pence, he who was the focus of the cry, “Hang Mike Pence” that echoed through the Capitol that fateful day, voted to acquit. Really? So it was all just a joke?

While the goings-on within the government are far from satisfactory I do see reason to hope. The nation as a whole is starting – continuing – to doubt the mechanisms that, for so many years, kept us acquiescent as minorities, women, the poor, and the environment were systematically degraded and abused. We may not like some of the ways this has played out in recent days. Yet people are questioning now in ways not seen for many years. And questioning is essential.

I have no sympathy for the Capitol rioters, who were duped by a feckless ‘president’ – but it revealed to us all just how duping can occur, and that portions of our society are clueless and lost in the face of it. It revealed it to them, too.