To the editor:
In his Nov. 19, Great Bend Tribune column, Earl Watt described those who voiced opposition to Donald Trump’s election as having no credibility. Vice-President Harris congratulated President-elect Trump on his election victory. Mr. Watt claims that by congratulating Trump, Harris revealed that her reasons for opposing him were false and that she cannot be trusted, that she has no credibility. His claim makes no sense.
The most visible reason for opposition to Trump’s election was the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. The following are public comments made by then President Trump.
During a Sept. 29, 2020, Presidential debate, Trump ordered members of the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.” This direction by the President was well-received by the Proud Boys, and white nationalist men began to join in record numbers. Their membership tripled by Jan. 6.
On Nov. 4, the day after the election, Trump said, “...we want all voting (vote counting) to stop. ... We were getting ready to win this election. Frankly, we did win this election.”
On Dec. 19, Trump announced the Jan. 6 rally on Twitter, stating: “Statistically impossible to have lost the 2020 Election. Big protest in D.C. on Jan. 6th. Be there, will be wild!”
The morning of Jan. 6, Trump tweeted: “If Vice President @Mike_Pence comes through for us, we will win the Presidency.”
At noon on Jan. 6, Trump began his speech which included the statements, “I’ll be there with you... we’re going to walk down to the Capitol... Because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing.” “In no state is there any question or effort made to verify the identity, citizenship, residency or eligibility of the votes cast.” (We all know from our own voting experience that this is a sun-comes-up-in-the-west falsehood.) “They (Congress members voting to certify the Biden election) want to play so straight.” “When you catch somebody in a fraud, you’re allowed to go by very different rules.” “We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” “The Democrats are hopeless.” “And we’re going to the Capitol.”
At 12:53, rioters began to overwhelm police who were protecting the Capitol. During the attack, 174 police officers were injured and one rioter was shot to death. A police officer died of natural causes a day after being assaulted by rioters. Four officers who responded to the attack died by suicide within seven months.
Trump watched the attack on TV for 2 hours and 38 minutes, receiving pleas from members of Congress to tell the rioters to quit and go home. Finally, at 4:17, he tweeted, “We have to have peace. So go home.”
In a 2023 town hall, Trump said of the rioters, “They were there proud, they were there with love in their heart. ... And it was a beautiful day.”
The Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack happened as a result of Trump’s actions. It continued as the result of Trump’s inactions. Since the attack, he has praised the rioters.
Mr. Watt claimed that those who voiced opposition to Trump in the election were just making extremist, nonsensical political jabs meant to get them want they wanted. Mr. Watt also stated credibility is the heart and soul of journalism. To establish the credibility of his claim, Mr. Watt should explain how none of Trump’s actions or inactions related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack were reasons to oppose his election.
John Sturn
Ellinwood
