Virtual Fridays Without Fitzpatrick (VFWF) 48
In Response To Your Courier Times Insurrection Interview
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick: The Mouse That Failed To Roar
“One year ago today, our Capitol Building, the citadel of our democracy, was violently attacked by domestic terrorists with the aim of preventing the peaceful transfer of presidential power to the lawfully elected President Joe Biden. These criminals not only destroyed United States government property, but also threatened the lives of my colleagues in Congress and even our Vice-President with the construction of a gallows on Capitol grounds. This angry mob was incited to march on the Capitol in a “Stop the Steal” rally by the former defeated president who had hoped to unlawfully overturn the results of one of the most secure elections in our nation’s history in an ugly un-American attempt to thwart the political will of the American people. Brave Capitol Police risked their lives to defend our democracy; many were injured and some even died as they defended us and our democracy. With their valiant brave help, American democracy prevailed that day and power was lawfully transferred, in accordance with the Constitution we swore an oath to defend, to President Joe Biden, the winning candidate chosen by the American people. Let me tell you my experience about the bravery I saw that day as our Capitol was breached by these anti-democratic domestic terrorists who I hope, along with the leaders who incited them, will be prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law for holding a dagger to the throat of our beloved American democracy.”
The above are words you did not say.
This week you were interviewed by the local Courier Times newspaper about your experience on January 6th, 2021:
“'It was always so outside of the realm of possibility': Rep. Fitzpatrick recalls Capitol riot chaos. "We put [the gas masks] on, and it's a sound none of us will ever forget." Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick talks about the chaos in the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
https://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/videos/news/2022/01/04/rep-brian-fitzpatrick-january-6-capitol-riot-protest-insurrection/9008267002/ “
It was not until the final moments of the interview that you mentioned the lawlessness of the rioters who invaded the Capitol. Before that you listlessly meandered around with comments about the buzzing noise of the gas masks and reminisced about student tour groups who came in the past and had asked about the boxes with the gas masks. You expressed how you couldn’t believe what was going on that day was even possible. You said you were frightened. You said the Capitol Police were unprepared and you even had to correct them in their hasty plan to move you and your colleagues to safety.
But for most of the interview, you said nothing about the attack on our democracy. You expressed no emotion whatsoever about the assault on your colleagues and the peaceful transfer of power. You expressed no praise for the valiant brave Capitol Police who were risking their lives to protect you, your colleagues and our Constitution. Instead you talked about buzzing noises and what some schoolchildren said about a box years ago.
In journalistic terms, you buried the lead. My first paragraph of this essay today should have been the lead that you roared. But instead, you squeaked on and on like you were describing a school picnic.
Did you hide the lead to the end so your Republican Trump base might not hear it?
Did you criticize the Capitol Police in obedience to the pathetic new Republican strategy to focus on the unpreparedness of law enforcement rather than the seditious attack on our democracy fomented by the former defeated president?
Where was your anger? Where was your outrage? Again, where was your praise for the valiant brave Capitol Police officers? Where was your vow to do everything you could to bring the leaders of this insurrection to justice? It was nowhere to be heard either in your interview or on the day of the anniversary of this dark day in American history.
How could you not be surprised that this kind of insurrection could occur? How could you be so oblivious to the character of the president you failed to impeach, but yet voted for in 2020? He had begun to spread the Big Lie even before the election and continued to spread it even on the day of the insurrection. When you support a fascist narcissist to be your leader, how can you not expect a violent insurrection to occur when his ego is shamed by an electoral loss and power is slipping through his hands?
Last week I suggested that you speak out against the Big Lie from the floor of the Capitol on this anniversary of this day of infamy. But sadly, you chose to say nothing. Concerning the grave injustice that occurred one year ago, you acted like a mouse who failed to roar. Instead, you crept away in silence with your Republican herd while only Democrats gathered to speak and commemorate the tragedy of one year ago and vow that never again will such an attack occur on our beloved democracy.
But there was one of your Republican colleagues who did join the Democrats in a bipartisan way: Congresswoman Liz Cheney. She stood proudly and bravely with her father, a former Republican Vice-President, on the floor of Congress and showed moral courage in condemning the Big Lie that led to this despicable insurrection. But you, along with all of your other Republican colleagues, instead displayed moral cowardice and silent complicity by your absence during these ceremonies. You had a chance to roar to the American people and express your outrage loudly and clearly about this fascist terrorist assault, but instead you chose yet again to be as silent as a mouse. You should be ashamed.
Our nation and our democracy deserve better. As the former defeated president continues to spread the Big Lie with the spoken and unspoken support of your Republican Party, our democracy continues to be under attack in these perilous times and demands a lion, not a mouse, to rise to its defense.