Legitimate Political Discourse by a Loving Crowd?
Another Voice: Opinion by Jim Malatras
The Republican National Committee recently declared the January 6th, 2020 attack on the U.S. Capitol a “persecution of ordinary citizens in legitimate political discourse.” Normally opposing a mob that grew violent and disrupted proceedings of Congress in the midst of certifying a presidential election would be a political layup. But these are dizzyingly polarizing times.
Contrary to President Trump’s claim, that it was a “loving crowd”—like it was somehow a mellow group attending an Air Supply concert, our eyes do not deceive us. What we witnessed was wasn’t a peaceful demonstration or Americans linked arm in arm singing “we shall overcome” as they battle racial injustice. It was an attack. A legitimate political discourse doesn’t involve outnumbered police officers being pummeled, bloodied, and beaten by sticks, fists, and other weapons, or crushed in doorways by surging mobs. Legitimate political discourse doesn’t involve pipe bombs that were planted at both the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican National Parties as diversions to lure law enforcement from the Capitol so the mob would be able to sow more chaos. Legitimate political discourse doesn’t include a mob infiltrating the hallowed halls of the seat of our national government in the middle of finalizing a presidential election. Legitimate political discourse doesn’t result in the Vice President and Legislators being rushed out of their Chambers because the barricades law enforcement made couldn’t hold back the mob. Legitimate political discourse doesn’t include erected gallows and chants of hanging the Vice President who won’t go along with overturning the will of the people. No, this wasn’t legitimate political discourse.
Left in the wake of the rioters was damage to our institutions of democracy—both physical destruction but also to the national psyche.
Were all people who marched on the Capitol on January 6, 2020 rioters? No. Did all have an intent to disrupt our democracy in action? Of course not. Did some come to use their voice to express their constitutional right to disagree? Yes. But these individuals were overrun by the mob.
Such acts of political violence must not be normalized. And this isn’t an ideological response. It’s not because I worked for Democrats. It’s a response to protect our democracy—still very much a noble experiment that could teeter and fall if not attended to. The violent acts of January 6, 2020 is no more an act of legitimate political discourse than the 1971 bombing of the U.S. Senate by the radical left group the Weather Underground. Back then the act was roundly condemned, regardless of one’s political affiliation. And that reprehensible act didn’t temporarily halt the certification of our presidential election.
It’s perplexing for a political party that has passed numerous resolutions calling for the criminalization of flag burning as illegitimate political discourse to turn around and actively support rioters who stormed our Nation’s Capital and disrupted the sacred foundation of our Republic—free and fair elections. This isn’t cognitive dissonance; this is insanity or worse, cynical politics.
— Jim Malatras currently is at SUNY Empire State College and has his Ph.D. in political science. He spent his 20-years-plus career in public service in various high-level roles in New York State government and the State University of New York.
You might have also mentioned that Jim Malatras was forced to resign his position as Chancellor of the SUNY system last December. It seems he was found to have sent disparaging emails about King Cuomo’s female accusers, resulting in his departure.
Also of note, Malatras has been a longtime member of Cuomo’s inner circle. That’s might have added some effect to his outrage. I won’t hold my breath waiting for his attack on the BLM thugs who burned the City of Portland, OR.