By MUMIA ABU-JAMAL

With the rise of the Trump presidency, few events were more remarkable than the 2017 white nationalist rally at Charlottesville, Virginia. Here we saw the naked face of white hatred, fear, and anxiety, seemingly inspired by a presidency brought into being, in part, by the false claim that the nation’s first Black president wasn’t born in the U.S.

Who could guess that, less than four years later, another white riot would erupt; this time at the nation’s Capitol, the halls of Congress, where yet another false claim, that of a stolen election, would provide the spark to a flame of insurrection?

These two furious events form bookends of time, a four-year period of a presidential term marking the malice unleashed by Trump. They also provide insight into white entitlement, the deep-seated belief that public space is white space. They attacked the Capitol in the light of day, shattering windows and crashing through doors. They beat cops like drums; whipped them with batons, sticks, and flagpoles and dragged them down steps. And they did so on camera.

One cop was later interviewed and said he was being assaulted at the Capitol by protesters who said they liked and supported police, especially during summer conflicts with groups like Black Lives Matter. The cop remarked that many of the Capitol protesters suffered from what he called “cognitive dissonance.”

But guess what? Among those attacking Congress were active-duty and retired cops from across America. Amazing!

Trump played the role of America’s Caligula, the Roman emperor—vain, petty, cruel, mean—who strived to humiliate Roman Senators; who hated all of those who would not worship him; ruled for four years until his armed guard dispatched him.

King Trump waged war against Congress and earned himself his second impeachment for incitement to insurrection.

Transcribed from Prison Radio for Socialist Resurgence by Steve Xavier. Hear Mumia at:
https://www.prisonradio.org/media/audio/mumia-abu-jamal-sci-mahanoy/white-riots-center-empire-320-mumia-abu-jamal 

Photo: Evan Vucci / AP