A year ago today

Friends,

The words “anniversary” or “commemoration” do not appropriately characterize this day. What occurred a year ago is nothing to be memorialized, nothing to glorify.

What happened on January 6, 2021 was frightening and shameful. That date shall live in infamy — like December 7, 1941 and 9/11. The difference is that on those days the United States was attacked by foreign powers, whereas on this date the United States was attacked by Americans — some waving American flags, most of them loyal to the man who had lost the presidential reelection the previous November 3 but who did not concede his loss and continues to argue the presidency was stolen from him.

Besides paying our respects to the families of the five people who lost their lives in the attack on the Capitol, as well as to those who still bear its psychological scars — Capitol police officers, and members of congress who remain traumatized by what occurred — it is also important to acknowledge the trauma to our nation. The trauma continues to some extent in each of us today.

The perpetrators must be held accountable. Trump must be held accountable. Members of congress who conspired with him must be held accountable. The only way we as a nation can process this trauma — gain some finality and closure on what occurred a year ago today — is to ensure that those who attacked the Capitol and those who instigated the attack bear full responsibility for their actions. And we must ensure that nothing like this ever occurs again.

For those of you who may be interested, I held a live event this morning on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram — ironically, the same anti-social media on which the attack was planned and provoked) to make a few comments and answer your questions. The recording is below.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe