Responsible parties

This was the darkest day this nation has seen since I was born in 1983. Far darker than any foreign attack, this was the culmination of Trump’s attempt to stay in power through his lies and combative rhetoric.

We all saw an attack on the citadel of democracy. This was an insurrection, a failed coup d’état. Make no mistake, Trump has lied to the American public. We are all shocked, but none of us should be very surprised; a small part of each of us saw something like this coming.

His desire to stay in power is so strong that, since Nov. 3, he has lied about winning the election, and his language while perpetuating this lie has gotten increasingly combative. Worse, he is not alone. While the president and his lackeys were fanning the flames and whipping a crowd of thousands into a vengeful mob in D.C, some members of the House and Senate were agreeing with this lie throughout the soon-to-be-invaded halls of Congress. At that same time, one of Colorado’s representatives was pledging that this day was the new 1776.

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In some of the far reaches of the internet, on message boards and the social media app Parler, calls for revolution and violence have grown since Trump lost his re-election. This was no surprise.

What was surprising was to learn that many people calling for a revolt to keep Trump in office were claiming “this is the new 1776” or “a 1776 moment.”

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When she signed a 1776 pledge that morning, I believe our congresswoman knew what that meant to Trump supporters. She was openly asking for an insurrection. What may be worse is, after the violence, she, unlike the eight other delegates from Colorado, continued to perpetuate Trump’s massive lie by voting to object to certification of the Electoral College.

Our congresswoman and the president are directly responsible for what happened on Jan. 6, 2021. We know Trump will be leaving office in two weeks, and our congresswoman should save us all some trouble, acknowledge what she has done and resign her seat.

Colin Wilhelm

Glenwood Springs

Condemn the violence

The violence on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Jan. 6, should be condemned. It is very clear that there can be no peace in America until the Democratic and Republican parties are gone.

This violence is the first step toward a civil war started by both the Democratic and Republican parties. All of their corruption, monetary greed and election rigging has brought us to this dangerous point. Look at all of the billions of dollars spent on these elections.

The spending is way out of control. All of this money was wasted on two corrupt political parties during this time when millions of Americans are suffering. Legally, these two political parties are mere political clubs fighting for control of America’s election system. They have no legal right to control America’s election system. Election reform can only come from nonpartisan open elections managed by independent nonpartisan election commissions.

Neither of these two parties care about the American people. While these two parties debated for nine months over how little money to give to the American people, they had no problem giving their corporate sponsors billions of corporate welfare.

Apparently, the American people are not worth much, according to these two parties. It is our money, not theirs.

These two parties are dangerous to America and to the American people. Nothing good can come of their continued existence. Their continued existence can only escalate into more violence and civil war.

With only two skimpy survival checks, the violence of 2020, and now the attack on Capitol Hill, the Democratic and Republican parties have written their own political obituaries for 2022, for 2024, and hopefully forever.

Randy Fricke

National Election Reform Committee/Independent Voting

New Castle

Flipping the game board

The Jan. 6 insurrection, ordered by Trump and sons, grabbed me with the thought that we’re waging sedition against Congress, over a vote, despite it following the rules and procedures set out in the constitution.

We stormed the halls, in the name of the Constitution, while flying a confederate flag. Dang, it’s like flipping the monopoly board because everybody’s playing fair.

Seems to me it’s a demonstration of the cognitive dissonance that is daily broadcast to and absorbed by a third of our population. Information from the nonscience, alternate fact universe, where cellphones are made like lollipops.

John Hoffmann

Carbondale

Awaiting new chapter

Another terrible day in Washington, D.C. — Jan. 6, 2021 — unfolded as our current president held a rally and told his supporters/protesters that they should march to the Capitol. He also said, “You will never take back our country with weakness.”

In America, we all know that peaceful protesters are allowed to voice their opinions. Many of these protesters sadly transformed into a violent mob. The attack on our U.S. Capitol left four people dead, many injured and much property damage.

In the Bible (Galatians), it says, “You reap what you sow.” The current president has told the American people so many lies that many find it hard to know what is true. All American citizens have the right to vote, but if they don’t vote for “you,” they are enemies.

Let us hope on Jan. 20 we can start a new chapter of our history — All Americans working together to get through a difficult time.

Nancy Hess

Glenwood Springs

Accept responsibility

How ironic that the poll in Wednesday’s paper asked what we thought should be the No. 1 area of focus for Rep. Boebert.

I’m sure my thoughts are not one of the options provided, but here’s what I would suggest: Ms. Boebert — as I know that you advocate personal responsibility, I request that you accept your personal responsibility for the events at the Capitol on Wednesday, including the loss of five lives.

One of those people died trying to protect you from a mob, and I would hope that you would consider donating at least half of your congressional salary to a fund for the benefit of that officer’s family, as well as the other officers injured in the melee.

Most other members of Congress, from both parties, have acknowledged that what happened was not “patriotism” or “protest.” I also suggest serious study of the Constitution, every article and every amendment.

Sharon McLin

New Castle

Investigate hate groups

Rep. Boebert, please use your position and power to investigate white supremacy groups. They were on full display Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol where five people were killed and many more police officers were wounded.

The Southern Poverty Law Center reported in 2019 that there are 1,020 U.S. hate groups and that they have increased 30% since 2016.

As a child, I crouched under school desks during nuclear attack drills, but I am far more fearful today of white supremacy groups. They meet in secret locations like public forests to practice military drills, they are heavily armed, and they use symbols I do not understand, like the Nazis did in Germany before World War II.

I am very worried that if we do not investigate and root out these secret paramilitary groups, they will proliferate and assault free speech and ultimately cause our open society in America to close.

Ken Ransford

Carbondale

Boebert reference out of context

Separate but equal. Poorly written rhetoric or dog whistle?

I just couldn’t let it go. Our elected officials need to have integrity. The insurrection at the Capitol was heartbreaking, humiliating and horrifying. It was indefensible.

Then, I listened to our representative, Lauren Boebert’s, speech on the House floor. I take no issue with the necessity of civilized debate. That is what she was sent to Washington to do. She stated she had a “separate but equal” obligation to object.

Huh? Separate but equal was the Supreme Court doctrine circa 1954 that upheld legal segregation. Those three words strung together were out of context in Rep. Boebert’s speech.

On that day, at that time, those are the words that were carefully chosen to express her duty? The knot that had been in my stomach moved to my throat, and I couldn’t let it go. It must have been poorly written rhetoric, a beginner’s mistake.

Rep. Boebert came out with an ad earlier in the week, “Why I’m carrying my Glock to Congress.” In the ad she is shown walking the empty streets of D.C. (allegedly) with her Glock. She did not have her Glock with her on Jan. 6, according to an interview Rep. Fallon (Texas) gave to Chris Salcedo on Newsmax on Jan. 6. This is because Rep. Boebert has not been carrying her Glock to Congress, according to a statement her spokesperson Ben Goldey gave to the Washington Post.

Again, I am giving our newest representative the benefit of the doubt. Our elected officials need to have integrity, be honest. That is why I couldn’t let it go. Rep. Boebert represents the constituents she left in western Colorado, not just the ones outside the Capitol with her on Wednesday. My hope for 2021 is that we all focus more on the facts, the issues and working together.

Not so thinly veiled racist rhetoric was not the message southern and western Colorado should have sent to the world. I hope that was not the message the world received. That is why I couldn’t let it go.

Heather Beattie

Rifle

A way out of the darkness

Everyone is unhappy these days. We are living under a cloud of suffering. Most Americans, and I believe citizens of the world, feel a certain level of frustration, fear, anxiety, anger and powerlessness.

Our leaders have failed us on both sides of the aisle. Their self-serving interests are there to divide and conquer the human spirit.

I have news for those “leaders,” you may be able to rule the limited human ego through fear. But you can never vanquish the human spirit. It is what gets us through the tough times, including the predicament we find ourselves in today.

The only thing more powerful than the fear being tossed about is the light of love that exists within the heart of every human.

We will never solve the problems we face with more of the same negative energy.

This is no time to hide in the shadows and fester in the wrongs of the past. Use your past to fuel your present and harness your inner power.

It is time for us to take responsibility for our own lives, to stop making excuses, beating ourselves up, blaming and clean up our inner attitudes.

It is time for our egos to step aside, stop taking things so personally and put our true selves in the driver’s seat.

Only light can change the dark.

That light has to come from within. Refocus on what is good in you, your life, the world. Look for what connects you to others instead of what is different. Choose to give your energy to lifting yourself and the world up through positive thoughts, words and actions.

One person at a time, we must stoke our own inner fire of potent love to overcome the darkness we face.

This is not someone else’s responsibility. It is your responsibility and mine. Will you join me in consciously letting spirit rise up while letting ego sit down?

Now is the time. The world truly needs you.

Mindy Arbuckle

Glenwood Springs

Be responsible, and resign

January 6, 2021, will be remembered as a very sad day by me. Our nation’s Capitol was looted by rioters, domestic terrorists. Five people died. One of them was an Air Force veteran. One, a police officer.

The officer died protecting Rep. Lauren Boebert from the very people she encouraged to be at our Capitol that day, her “constituents,” she called them, while she hid in an undisclosed location.

Is that how you support our law enforcement men and women, Representative? Is that how you “Back the Blue”?

In less than a week on the job, the blood of five dead people is on your hands, Ms. Boebert. I ask you to take responsibility and resign.

Surely, we can find someone that will think about protecting our Constitution and defending our democracy to take your place.

James Gilliam

Carbondale