To the Editor:
January 6, 2021.This will be one of the dates our country looks back on like December 7, 1941 or September 11, 2001. A date where everything changed. Tonight (Wednesday), is a strange and sober evening. While I had planned to share some very exciting news and update all of you on events within our County Democratic Party, tonight just does not feel like the right night.
What we all witnessed today in Washington, D.C. will leave an indelible stain. I condemn these treasonous acts of violence on our Nation. Any official, Democratic, Republican, or Independent, who attempts to condone or excuse this violent act of sedition should resign his or her office immediately for failing to uphold his or her duty and obligation to the law and our constitution.
This sort of behavior cannot be normalized and accepted. It is long past time we call this for what it is, anti-American terrorism. Anyone who traveled to Washington D.C. and participated in this unlawful insurrection should be tried to the fullest extent of the law, and anyone who supports the attempted coup upon our Nation should be called for what they are, a traitor to the United States of America.
What happened today (Wednesday) is beyond partisanship, beyond Democrats and Republicans, beyond red and blue, and beyond conservative and liberal. We are all Americans. We have allowed a demagogue to divide us further than we have been as a Nation since 1865. It MUST stop now, and I call on EVERY local official to offer a full-throated denouncement of this action. If you consider yourself a leader in our community, or others look at you as one, it is time to come forward and make yourself heard.
Instead of purely political games that local officials have played the last few years, we need REAL leadership in Madison County. While many of our Countywide officials have plenty of time to issue press releases on issues to score political points, we rarely see real leadership. Now is the time for leadership. Silence on this matter is betrayal. Betrayal to our Nation and our rule of law. For those of you who are tired of this dangerous rhetoric, who are fed up with the political games as usual, and for those of you who are against the violent insurrection led by terrorists hoping to take ou rfreedom, I beg you to join us. Only united in common purpose to defend our rights as citizens, our freedom to vote, and our democracy can we defeat these dangerous terrorists.
Today we saw what some people would like to do to our Nation. Tomorrow we have to organize to stop it. I hope you will join me.
Randall Harris, Chair of Madison County Democrats