Kurt Webber: Have we already forgotten about Jan. 6?

To The Daily Sun,

It’s sad how short people’s memories are. It was just four years ago that thousands of misguided Americans who believed Donald Trump’s lies about the 2020 election and were incited by his call to “fight like hell” or “you're not going to have a country anymore”, stormed the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the certification of the election on Jan. 6, 2021. In the process, they violently attacked and injured police officers while chanting “hang Mike Pence”, Trump’s loyal vice president who, admirably, wasn’t willing to betray his oath to support and defend the Constitution. Who would have thought in the days that followed, when even Republican politicians were expressing their disgust about the attack on the Capitol, that Trump would not only be the Republican nominee but would actually win the presidency just four years later?

Unfortunately, within a few weeks of Jan. 6, Trump was able to browbeat weak-willed Republican politicians into "drinking the Kool-Aid" and support his lies about voter fraud. It’s sad that Trump was not only able to strengthen his grip on the Republican Party but then convince enough voters who were more concerned about the economy than principle and integrity that he was fit to be president again. Thus, we will soon have a liar, cheat and convicted felon who has no regard for the rule of law as president again.

Unlike Trump, I will continue to uphold the oath I made as a West Point cadet and Army officer to support and defend the Constitution by frequently reminding my fellow citizens of Trump’s lack of character and his abuses of power. Hopefully, if enough voices are raised, it will convince some Republican politicians to try to limit the damage Trump will try to do to our country.

Kurt Webber

Gilford