An embarrassment for the U.S.A.

It’s embarrassing to see.

The National Guard and military vehicles “occupying” our nation’s capital, more soldiers there than in Afghanistan and Iraq combined, the nightly news likes to repeat, endlessly. D.C. even has a Green Zone, just like Baghdad.

It’s embarrassing, but necessary.

Necessary because a slim margin of Americans have anointed themselves the guardians of truth and democracy, when in fact they are operating on the wings of lies, and undermining the democracy they say they hold dear.

This time, it is elements of the Right — let’s say the Far Right or Wing Nut Right, the fringe that includes white supremacists, anti-Semites, militias, Proud Boys, Klansmen, skinheads, Boogaloo, QAnon, and Christian Identity people. 

Some media have described the 1/6/21 insurrection as the worst domestic terrorist attack in U.S. history.

That reveals a lack of historical knowledge. The 1995 Oklahoma City bombing resulted in 168 deaths, including 19 children.

That attack was engineered by a couple of anti-government, right wing nuts, Army veteran Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. 

If you add together all the deaths connected with left-wing causes, it doesn’t hold a candle to this. 

The FBI recognizes threats from the right as far more frightening and widespread than attacks from the left, which often takes the form of rioting, arson and looting.

This is not to say that such attacks are all right. They are not. Violence must be condemned regardless of where it emanates.

But right now, the Capitol is under military guard because of “chatter” about violence that is being heard from the right.

The inauguration probably will be safe, given the layers of security. If any pseudo patriots are going to try something, they will go where the Army ain’t — that is basic strategy.

A lot of supporters of Donald J. Trump think he was robbed.

They are wrong. They share his fantasy that he won in a landslide even though Trump has not been able to produce the minimal kind of proof it would take for a court to listen.

Some 60 legal filings have been rejected by courts across the country, including by judges appointed by Republicans, and even by Trump himself. 

If you are a Trump loyalist, do you really believe every court has been “rigged” against him? After Republican-run Georgia did three recounts and the Trump-supporting governor and secretary of state said the election was fair and honest, you still don’t accept that? When the Republican City Commissioner in Philadelphia says the vote was straight, you don’t believe him? When the architect of George W. Bush’s victories says the vote was legit, you don’t believe him?

I know some of you favor conspiracy theories, and some of you believe votes were counted in China!  but you really have to sit down and ask yourself about a conspiracy that takes in all the United States, and China, and Venezuela. It would be the most massive conspiracy in history. And you believe it?

How can you?

And then your response is to storm the Capitol?

Well, that’s why the troops are there, embarrassing our nation.

Congratulations, patriots.