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At around 2:30 PM on January 6th, during what would typically be a perfunctory Electoral College vote count, the procedure turned into chaos.
30 minutes earlier, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared, “I will vote to respect the American people’s decision and defend our system of government.. I will not put America into a death spiral ”, defying President Trump’s orders to reject a Joe Biden–Kamala Harris victory. Soon afterward, Ted Cruz relayed a passionate reply to the contrary. Cruz cited trumped-up statistics to support challenging the sacred Electoral College certification by both houses of congress. He stated 39% of Americans believe voter fraud compromised the election and that 17% of Democrats agreed. His finale included asking Congress to honor the wishes of almost half of America and recount the votes, or people will know that Congress doesn’t value democracy. As the proceedings continued in as normal of a way as it could regardless of ridiculous claims, Trump tweeted, “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving states a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!” causing all-out pandemonium to ensue.
Shortly after Trump’s tweet, the optics changed from political theater and references to the Constitution to tear gas in the rotunda, masks under the seats in the House chamber, and Congress members and staffers told to shelter in place.
As CNN and MSNBC pundits decried being “shocked” and appalled because they “never saw this before” or “saw this coming,” protesters continued to break windows scale the Capitol, enter the chamber and sit in the senate chamber the same chair that Vice President Mike Pence sat in hours earlier. A woman was shot and has since succumbed to her injuries. The FBI is investigating multiple reports of explosives in the area.
But I’m not surprised at all. Whiteness is very predictable. Not all white people, but the phenomenon of Whiteness is a systematic way of thinking and decision-making beyond the scope of the law, nature, morals, common sense, or even the truth. When whiteness is challenged in a way that could create a slightly less than pleasant reality, instead of getting introspective or compromise, Whiteness instead will engage in an extreme version of fight or flight. Why? Because Whiteness knows that those decisions will be permitted. Cops, judges, and any other form of accountability will give whiteness everything ranging from the benefit of the doubt to kid gloves, holding back the most violent or punitive repercussions for those with darker hues, with the darkest hues often receiving the harshest treatment regardless of guilt or innocence.
Don’t believe me? You think I am exaggerating the phenomenon of Whiteness and White Right? You do not even need to read the above paragraph. All you had to do was turn on the TV today to see scores of mostly white people break windows and enter the capital fully armed with heads held high, no mask, and no fear. No fear of COVID19 or fear that facial recognition will detect who they are and investigate to arrest them. Meanwhile, countless Black people have been shot or killed for being Black, including Jacob Blake, who was shot in the back seven times for allegedly having a knife. And today, the media debated whether or not to call these people protesters or rioters.
To prove this point, even Rapper 50 Cent, who is not often known for searing political discourse and was too close for comfort to Trump days before the election, tweeted a photo of the National Guard on the Capitol steps. The caption stated, “For the record, this was the US Capital during the BLM protest.” A phalanx of National Guard officers occupied every step of the Capitol building. The optics of an organized law enforcement operation was second only to an actual tone, weapons and undercover investigators unleashed in and around DC to ensure nothing would “pop-off.” Yet here we are. The Proud Boys, QANON, MAGA, all three Blacks for Trump and others are undeterred by DC Capitol Police, Secret Service, or The National Guard.
As the 6 PM curfew neared and DC Police in riot gear swept people off the capital grounds, the battle is far from over. Press conferences filled with condemnation from the Mayor of D.C. and President Biden will not shame them into silence. Trump released a video urging them to be peaceful but started by stating that the election was stolen in a landslide. So Trump is the Pied Piper of Chaos, but he’s not entirely to blame for this violent act of sedition, treason, and insurrection. Trump is a master of controlling the narrative. He does not need to be in the White House. He occupies the white mind and heart. Trump is the ID of White America. He emboldens and enables every fantasy of how far Whiteness can go and stretch the limits of what Whiteness can do.
As the media, who profits off breaking news and chaos, continued to admonish Trump imploring that he tells his supporters to go home, I wondered why. Does Trump really have all that power? NO. Trump has the power to whip his supporters into a frenzy, seeding the fertile soil of white fear with fruit-bearing trees, but he can’t harvest. If Trump told them, “Hey, I am going to concede, it’s not worth the fight. I’m going to accept that Biden is our president, please go home”. Do you think Trump supporters would? Of course not. They would postulate that Trump had been hacked and be even more supportive and compensate for Trump’s sudden abdication. Why? Because they realize it’s not just Trump but their WHITE way of life at stake.
I predict that 2021 is going to be plagued by Whiteness’ faux victimhood and protest movements. There’s nothing better than a white person who feels victimized. From affirmative action to gun laws, fear of losing freedom mobilizes whites like none other. If 2020 was the year of BlackLivesMatter, 2021 will be the year of White votes, jobs, neighborhoods, schools, etc., matter. Fill in the blank. White people will find a reason to feel oppressed. Until America realizes that it’s blind allegiance to whiteness puts us all in danger, I suggest you either pack your bags (and fly to a sh*t-hole country for a change of pace) or pack your pantry.
