A Year Later January 6th Haunts Voters

January 6th is a day that will forever bring me pain and will remind me of how broken our democracy is. I remember being glued to the TV early in the morning as I was anticipating the results of the special run-off election in Georgia between Ossoff and Perdue and Warnock and Loeffler. I would go back and forth between my zoom tab and CNN barely being able to pay attention in class. It was during my break when the insurrection started. I could not believe my eyes. There aren’t a lot of times in my life where I’ve been unable to describe my feelings with words but this was certainly one. I was completely speechless. I had an indescribable feeling of hurt as I watched reckless, angry followers of our president at the time climb over the walls of our Capitol building and threaten the safety of all who employ it. 

Worried about our local Congressman Mike Thompson, I anxiously refreshed my Facebook page to make sure he was safe. That afternoon he shared, “I am currently sheltering in place in the Capitol at a secure location” and “This is a very sad day for our democracy.” I must agree with our congressman. Even though a full year has gone by since the insurrections, I still feel just as hurt and disappointed in our democracy. January 6, 2021 made me lose a lot of faith in humanity.

I have a personal connection to the Capitol building because back in February 2020, my Model United Nations club had the privilege of touring the Capitol. I remember the feeling of serenity and peace as I looked up into the dome painted with godlike figures. I felt as small as I do when I look up at skyscrapers in big cities. It was a humbling experience to be in the presence of so many historical events and figures that I’ve spent my scholastic career studying. 

Because of my personal connection to the Capitol, it is still difficult for me to comprehend why the insurrectionists would treat our nation’s most sacred building with disrespect and violence. It scares me that these uneducated individuals would blindly follow our country’s most biggoted leaders into domestic terrorism. 

January 6th forever changed my perspective not only on the 45th President’s loyal supporters but on our country as a whole. I must say that I am deeply worried for our country’s future with the 2022 midterm elections coming up this year but I hope that my fellow concerned citizens, especially future Gen Z voters, will take action against fighting the false claims of the far right and restore our nation to a less divided state.