Storm The Capital
March 20, 2021
The years 2020 and 2021 have been filled with significant events. Can we compare them to identify what was the worst?
According to CNN News, what is being referred to as the “Capitol protest” was the attempt of republican supporters, possibly incited by the Trump administration, to overthrow the government on January 6, 2021. That was three weeks before the transfer of power was handed over from former president, Donald Trump to current president, Joe Biden. During the flood of protesters entering the building, multiple people were injured. Another five people died during and after the protest.
Brian Sicknick, who served in the National Guard and became a capitol police officer in 2008, was overpowered and beaten by rioters, dying from his injuries in the hospital.
Benjamin Phillips of Pennsylvania died of a stroke in a Washington hospital soon after the protest.
Ashli Babbitt of Southern California was an Air Force veteran. She was seen climbing through a broken window into the speaker’s lobby carrying a Trump flag. Soon after, a gunshot ended her life.
Kevin Greeson of Alabama suffered a heart attack due to high blood pressure. Rosanne Boyland of Georgia, who posted pro-Trump on her social media, was crushed as she and other rioters raced for the Capitol building. These were the people who have died at or soon after
the protest. With such a start to the year of 2021, some may believe the present would not be any better than the previous year of 2020. Students gave their opinion regarding the severity of this event as compared to others from 2020.
“To compare a horrible yet isolated event to an equally horrible but non-isolated event is like comparing apples and oranges.” sophomore Josie Hougham said. “Covid-19 effected the entire world, plus the wildfires and bombing of other countries were a mix of politics and general inhumanity.”
Freshman Faith Shost added, “I don’t think I could say that these incidents were any less important and I’d prefer not to compare them as they are unconventional ideas. No matter what, these other incidents endangered lives and people died of it”
“No, I don’t think it was worse, however I do think it followed the 2020’s trend in starting the year off with something terrible happening, senior Aislynn Stewart said.
As of June 8, 2020, at least 19 people had died during the BLM (Black Lives Matter) protests, while five died during or after the Capitol protest.
During Trump’s trials after impeachment, senators argued that he attempted to overthrow the government because he believed the presidential election was “stolen from him.” He was also accused of threatening republican governers to change the vote count.
History will tell which events are remembered as the most important of 2020-2021.
