1/6/2022
MDFP, JRB,
Will this date live in infamy along with 9/11 & 12/7? Has it been lodged in our collective memory? Your reference to Klio’s statue was a brilliant way to emphasize the importance of getting our facts straight about what happened. As the AP says, “the act of remembering can be a highly mercurial thing” & “even the most searing memories are edited every time they’re revisited.”
Since the history of 1/6 has not been fully written, it’s important you shared your spin on it, but also important to recall that history = facts + interpretation so the “truth” is in the eye of the beholder. My first reaction to 1/6 was, “it could have been worse.” My impression was that it was a spontaneous, disorganized event. As the facts have come out, my interpretation has changed & I agree with your assertion that it was an “insurrection.”
Your speech writers turned some wonderful phrases that have made for great sound bites. “Held a dagger to the throat of democracy” has vivid imagery to capture the imagination. Referring to DJT as the “defeated former president” with a “bruised ego” positioned him as a loser who couldn’t accept the results of the election. Most definitely!
Your most convincing moment was when you pointed out the fact that the GOP is not disputing the legitimacy of the races that they won. Today’s KCS reports on the pillow guy’s misguided effort to “Fix 2020” by finding “phantom” voters. As you noted, if dead people voted you’d think they would have voted a straight Dem ticket, which, clearly, they didn’t.
I would give you an A+. The organization of the remarks worked well, although refuting lies required some sentences with double negatives which always give me pause. You stood tall, enunciated every word & seemed well rehearsed. You modulated your voice at just the right moments. You leaned in at the end to make your powerful points that “darkest days can lead to hope” & “it’s about us not about me.”
Thanks for making some noise today!
BYBS,
