Destructive Loyalty

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As I awoke on January 6 to get ready for school, I expected to attend to the same trivial matters I always do. Everyone was aware of the tension built up in the government, and today was the day the bubble would finally burst. 

After 12 P.M. on January 6, many protesters stormed the Capitol putting the lives of many senators, congressmen and women in danger. At that time, former Vice President Mike Pence was preparing to count the electoral votes. The process of recounting the electoral votes was catalyzed by former President Trump who believed that the election was being stolen from him; however, officials from many states said that their election process was free from any type of voter fraud. In my perspective, everyone is entitled to their opinion, if Trump thought the election was lost then let him believe that. He had a right to express his opinion and his supporters did as well. The storming of the capitol was proof of their undying loyalty to Trump. There is one common ground that should be reached. Former president Trump’s influence on the American people is virulent. Not since the War of 1812 when the British burned down the capitol had the U.S. seen such violence.  This time the enemies were not foreign, but of our own blood. Trump’s words did not concretely state that he wanted them to storm the capitol, but his toxic views of the election process were engraved into the lives of many Americans now doubtful of their own government, the people who are supposed to protect them. One theory composed from various Pro-trump supporters is QAnon, which is based on the belief that Trump is the savior of the world. Many religious speakers and pastors have spoken up about their esteem for Trump; however, when religion and politics are put together you never know what you’re going to get but it’s usually a mess. There is a subreddit dedicated to those whose family members have been taken over by the QAnon. There is one story in particular that caught my attention. It was about a church in the individual’s hometown. They were there for a long time and spoke about how the church was being radicalized by QAnon and their belief that Trump truly is a savior sent from the heavens. When you take everything in and truly think about things like these, it seems amazing how much one man can do. It really does make me wonder how someone can become so influential and beguile. How can someone who has been devoted to God, or Jesus, or anything for that matter turn to look at a man like a god? 

I am not saying that everyone in America is a radicalized Trump supporter, but there is a good part that has been absorbed into his world. A good enough piece to make me realize that Presidents’ have so much power in their hands, more than I expected at least. I have never seen more people who have dramatically changed their views. While I don’t strongly agree or believe in their views,  I respect them because we are all different. No one should be able to tell us what defines who we are, not even the President.