Appalled, heart-broken, shocked

Angry, lost, unsure

Does any of it matter?

The president and others incited a riot

More, it was insurrection!

And, it was almost entirely white.

But we are not white,

We are a rainbow.

And like a rainbow is made of many colors,

When they are joined, they create

A whole that is more than the parts.

Where did their anger come from?

Is it upbringing?

Is it tribalism?

Is it school and a lack of effective education?

I have not seen such violence in the face of peace.

I have not felt so disenfranchised that I

Would participate in a mob or an invasion.

Are there things I will fight for?

Certainly – family, rights of others, more…

But MOB rule? With intent to harm?

I hope I am better than that.

Another week has passed

We know more now

About the goals of the mob

About the tribalism

About the harm attempted

About the heroes and the many, many villains.

It was both worse than we knew

and better.

Some did rise to the challenge and opposed

Some did the right thing

Even within the mob, not all lost their head

Some did show mercy

While others hunted to do murder

Is this what the nation is become?

Are we so divided that we have lost

Our common humanity, our spirit to serve,

Our striving for a better future?

Instead of wishing for a past that has passed?

How ironic that out one side of our mouths

We today celebrate MLK

And out of the other side

We decry the mob who tried to overthrow the government

And steal the hard won and fair victory

Where has the vision gone?

Have we lost the dream MLK shared?

The capitol is no longer the People’s House

It is become a fortress surrounded by battlements.

The people cannot get in to view and marvel

At the history and the struggles that brought us here

Instead, we struggle once again, this time against ourselves.

The inauguration happened?

It was positive, but it was also an armed camp

Armed against our own citizens.

Can we survive this calamity as a country?

It is my hope – we MUST!

What will it take?

Looking inside ourselves and finding our shared humanity

Listening to those who lost and gently showing them the lies

The lies their leaders spread and some in the media spread.

It will take years to rebuild the trust that was there

Or maybe never was. And we must overcome our fears as well as theirs

In the end we must come together

And find we are more alike than not

We share the same fears, the same humanity

We even share many of the same dreams

For safety, for friends, for people we relate to

And for a future that brings true prosperity for all.