AMERICA UNFOLDING
In what was a clear attack on democracy and our country, A breach of the capital — which hasn’t been seen since the 1800s, continues to unravel America. Talks of this isn’t America when clearly we are watching the very core of America do what it does. When is it inexcusable? How was it allowed for Trump Supporters to behave in this manner, with Capitol Police holding their hands, taking selfie's and basically walking them in to breach the Capitol Building.
We’ve watched a country built on genocide, theft, and slavery continue to make excuses and manage the portrayal of white supremacy. It’s what America does, and denying that does not make it not true.
Under Trump’s presidency, his rhetoric has continued to incite hate and praise this behavior. Its no surprised that we have come to see this day’s events unfold. Is this what we can expect to continue as Trump refuses to concede and except the results of this past election?
“White Americans aren’t afraid of the cops. White Americans are never afraid of the cops, even when they’re committing an insurrection,” @JoyAnnReid says about the Trump supporters rioting the US Capitol. pic.twitter.com/dJ3soNlZhq
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 6, 2021
White Americans get a pass. Media will find ways to portray even the most horrific incidents in a good light without holding those accountable for those actions. We continue to see images and video highlighting the facts but will receive excuses and carefully worded descriptions that shy away from calling things what it is. This continues to speak to the privilege that White Americans hold. Even while committing an insurrection, they are able to leave and go back to the comforts of hotels and cities where they came from and not be held accountable. Looking at how things would most definitely be different if another group had attempted to storm The Capitol; we would see a different outcome. Yet we see them continue to be called protestors when they are domestic terrorist. For peaceful Black Lives Matter protests we see it being labeled a riot. This incident like many before is an act on the very freedom, this country is supposed to uphold.
Black Live Matter protests have focused on fighting for the injustices but saw boarded up business, officers with tear gas and rubber bullets and various preparations to stop peaceful gatherings but in this incident and many others like it, officers stood back, unprepared and surprised when White Terrorists showed up — allowing them to be armed; allowing them to be violent as they said they would be, putting the nation and the safety of its people in danger. But this has been incited by an administration, a culture and a system that refuses to address it.
Raphael Warnock becomes Georgia’s first Black senator
Reuters
Rev. Raphael Warnock made history on Wednesday, January 6th as multiple outlets projected his victory as Georgia’s first Black senator. Warnock spoke on CNN’s “New Day.” “I am an iteration and an example of the American dream. When I think about the arc of our history, what Georgia did last night is its own message in the midst of a moment in which so many people are trying to divide our country — at a time we can least afford to be divided.” The senator-elect and senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church ran against Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in Tuesday’s Senate runoff election.
Warnock is also the first Georgia Democrat to be elected to the Senate in 20 years. Many credited the state’s party shift and record-breaking voter turnout to the years-long efforts of Former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams and Georgia activists.
Trump Supporters attack cops and storm The Capitol
In a chaotic rally Wednesday morning, Pro-Trump protesters attempted to occupy the Capitol Building. Thousands of Trump supporters stormed through metal barricades around the back of the Capitol on Jan. 6 as even more gathered in the city to protest Congress’ upcoming certification of Joe Biden’s victory.
Videos circulated showing a huge group of protesters pushing over the barricades and marching toward the Capitol Building. Police tried unsuccessfully to control the protesters, as they climbed and kicked aside the barricades, many of them also clashing violently with the officers.
Trump encouraged his supporters to join the D.C. protests and addressed his crowd of supporters from The Ellipse. “We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen. You don’t concede when there’s theft involved,” he said. “We won this election, and we won it by a landslide. This was not a close election.”
Trump continued his hopes Vice President Mike Pence will block the certification.
See videos of Trump supporters storming the U.S. Capitol below.
It’s interesting to see the complete 180 when it comes to the security that we saw during peaceful Black Lives Matter protests; which saw military officials brought out, riot gear and rubber bullets used. When it comes to Pro Trump supporters, and the protests against our government, we don’t see any of this. When Pro Trump protests destroy buildings or take drastic actions including arming themselves and walking around with weapons; we don’t see Law enforcement taking the same actions.
What police looked like at the Capitol during Black Lives Matter protests.
But… This Is America.
Pro-Trumpers can act in such a manner. They don’t have to be afraid of the police and they can continue to act in the manner they have because time and time again, they don’t face consequences.
BLACK LIVES MATTERS AND BLACK VOTES MATTER
Black Lives Matter.
Black Creatives Matter.
Black Art Matters.
Black Voices Matter.
Black Freedom Matters.
A Democratic win for the presidential election is just the beginning. Highlighted by both Biden and Harris in their speeches following becoming the president and vice president elect, was how Black Women have shown up again; this time to carry democracy. Biden highlighted his plans to unify a nation and what that means for America; touching on the need to come together no matter if you are Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, Gay, Straight, Male, Female... And the need for America to have an administration that reflects that.
It’s important to include the most marginalized, the most misrepresented, the most under appreciated. Its important to note that without Black voices, importantly Black Women the results would have been different and this applies across a number of spaces; professionally and personally.
A country built off the backs of its Black citizens continues to thrive because of us, yet continues to ignore the systemic racism, the high incarcerations, the missed opportunities, the police brutalities, the inequities… and the energy has to remain the same that,
Black Lives Matter. Black Creatives Matter. Black Art Matters. Black Voices Matter. Black Freedom Matters and the Election Day reminded everyone that Black Votes Matter.
As we have been heavily effected by a system built against us; a virus that continues to ravish Black Communities, an economy that fails to bring support these Black Communities and Black Owned Businesses; we must push for changes, actual changes and not promises that prop up these elected officials until they make it in. The work must continue. We all have work to do and we must do our parts.
MASSIVE CELEBRATIONS ERUPTS WITH BIDEN-HARRIS WIN
From California to New York, people are celebrating President-elect Joe Biden's projected win today.
Kamala Harris becomes the first female, first Black and first South Asian Vice President-Elect
Kamala Harris, on Saturday becomes the first female, the first Black and the first South Asian Vice President-Elect. In a historic election which saw several battleground states flip for the first time in years; with mail-in-ballots pushing the Biden-Harris campaign to a projected victory taking Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Harris tweeted a video of herself on the phone with President-elect Joe Biden shortly after CNN projected their win.
"We did it, we did it, Joe. You're going to be the next president of the United States," she said with a signature laugh.
Harris attended Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington. Her time at Howard shaped her political vision. She served as California Senator since elected in 2017.
Joe Biden Projected Presidential Winner
Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States, as The Associated Press, Reuters/NEP/Edison, ABC News, CNN, NBC News, CBS News, USA Today, The New York Times, Fox News, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal projects, after a victory in the state where he was born put him over the 270 electoral votes needed to win.
With Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes, Biden now has a total of 273 electoral votes.
Before becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Biden served as vice president under former President Barack Obama. He is also Delaware's longest-serving senator.
Throughout his campaign, Biden has argued that the "soul of the nation" is at stake, and has promised that he would seek to heal a country fractured by Trump's presidency.
MAIL-IN BALLOTS SHIFT THE HISTORIC 2020 ELECTION
“Stop the count”
Trump tweeted as polls closed on Election night
"ANY VOTE THAT CAME IN AFTER ELECTION DAY WILL NOT BE COUNTED," Trump added shortly after, prompting Twitter to flag the message as potentially misleading. Twitter then applied warning labels to more than a third of Trump’s tweets since the final polls closed Tuesday evening, reflecting how Trump and his allies continue to spout misinformation on social media days after Americans cast their ballots.
Many battleground states hadn’t finished counting votes making this Election Day end with no projected winner. Former Vice President and Democratic Candidate Joe Biden urged Americans to "stay calm." "Each ballot must be counted, and that's what we're going to see going through now, and that's how it should be," Biden said Thursday.
