An Historic Day of Shock and Shame

photograph by Reuters 

source unknown

I told Paul last night that January 6, 2021 for me will be one of the "historic days" in my life that I would always remember.   The kind where you can forever recall where you were when the world changed.   

My first day like that was November 22, 1963 when John F. Kennedy was assassinated.  I was twelve and in school and when we were told the news that someone had killed the President it was like having the rug pulled out from me.  I was just a kid and it was scary to realize that bad people were out that doing such bad things.  And, of course, I had idolized the young and charismatic leader.  

We all remember where we were on September 11, 2001 and what we were doing when the planes hit that morning.  I was working at the Library of Congress when staff raced back from coffee on the top floor of the Library saying they had seen a plane hit the Pentagon.  Everyone was alarmed and no one had real information about what was going on, this being back before today's mobile devices and Internet news.  Frightened staff left the building in droves and soon it was just me and another manager  keeping our public reading room open while we waited for instructions from "upper management."   The two of us found a radio and listened to the news and grew increasingly alarmed by reports of a missing plane believed to be headed to D.C. to attack the Capitol, across the street from our building.  That was the plane brought down in Pennsylvania by its passengers.  When the Library officially closed for the day my colleague and I walked up the block to see for ourselves that the building was still proudly standing.  The horror of the terrorist attack was in stark contrast to the beautiful weather that day and the sound of the birds singing in the trees lining the sidewalks. 

I hadn't planned to follow the news closely yesterday but soon after I finished my blog post I took a last look at Twitter and was shocked at the images I saw of the invasion of the Capital.  I cried out to Ben to come see, and for most of the day we watched the shocking scenes as they unfolded.  Having worked on Capitol Hill for so many years we knew all the sites we seeing, knew the security that was usually in place, and couldn't believe that invaders were in these sacred spaces.  

We followed the news late into the night.  I'm happy to say that we had sense enough to take a break to watch another episode of The Bureau, and to take a good walk. 

You know that I like to end even sad posts like this with something positive, and here's two good things.  

I was encouraged by one small story that caught my attention last night and again this morning.  It was how ceremonial boxes containing the electoral college certificates were gathered up and removed from the Senate chamber by Senate aides during the crises.  Credited with "quick thinking" by several Senators, they got the important documents to safety so the political process could continue once the terrorists were removed from the Capitol.  In the middle of terror they did their job, and as a former Federal librarian, it made feel proud.        

I'm also feeling proud of our free press.  Attacks were made on their equipment and reporters were harrrassed, but they did their job to bring us gripping coverage straight from the action. We may not always agree with how the press presents things, but we should appreciate the struggles they go through to bring us a front row view of historic days like yesterday.

Credits: Agnes BUN / AFP