Tri-Town Democrats: Reflection on Jan. 6 Capitol disaster with eye toward local elections

To The Daily Sun,

At our virtual meeting on Jan. 3, several core members of the Tri-Town Democrats of Barnstead, Gilmanton, and Alton paused to remember the insufferable violent attack by thousands of dissidents on the U.S. Capitol Building and Congress a year ago on Jan. 6. The attack was part of a plan to thwart the orderly confirmation of the 2020 presidential election results. Other parts of the plan were the “Big Lie” propaganda that the incumbent president had won a landslide re-election, and the “Little Lie” that the vice president of the defeated administration could personally reject sufficient certified state election returns to prevent the confirmation of a new president.

The attackers were intentionally violent, damaging the sacred building and its furnishing and disrupting the joint session of Congress. Deaths and injuries were attributed to the confrontation. Capitol police and others eventually repelled the mob, Congress reconvened, and the presidential election results were confirmed long after midnight on the morning of Jan. 7. A week later, the House of Representatives impeached the defeated president for "incitement of insurrection." The U.S. Department of Justice followed by arresting and charging more than seven hundred attackers. Congress is now deep into an investigation of the chronology, hierarchy and cast of characters responsible for the crime and how to hold them accountable.

Our members continue to reflect, wonder, and opine about the Capitol Disaster. Several remember where they were when they learned of the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, and the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. They say Jan. 6th, 2021 will now be remembered the same way.

Many of our questions remain unanswered. What happened to America as the world’s beacon for free and fair elections? Who or what prevents everyone from finally acknowledging and respecting certified results? What kinds of patriots chant and seek to kill elected leaders for following the Constitution? Despite the warnings, why were we blindsided and unprepared to control the mob? Now 12 months after inauguration, is there more or less democracy in America than before Jan. 6?

Residents of Barnstead, Alton and Gilmanton now head into 2022 with an eye to local elections this spring and to state and national elections in the fall. Our goal is to increase education and turnout for Democrat candidates as well as to attract the votes of those who have, for obvious reasons, fled the Republican Party.

With the whole country under duress from bottom to top, we think victory will go to those whose policies and candidates are astute, not to those who are arrogant and abusive. After lies comes the search for truth and, in New Hampshire, for truthful candidates. That is what we'll be about. All like-minded individuals are welcomed to join us, including candidates for office. For information, email tritowndems@gmail.com.

David Allen, Suzanne Allison, Lew Henry, Ruth Larson, Stuart Leiderman, Anne Onion, Leslie Smith, Hunter Taylor, Stephanie Vuolo, Judy Wagner, Jane Westlake

Tri-Town Democrats of Barnstead, Alton, and Gilmanton