Where were you when?

Dear Leading Ladies,

Those of us of a certain age often ask or are asked, “Where were you when Kennedy was assassinated in 1963?” For those younger, the question is, “Where were you when the Challenger exploded in 1986?” And, for those still younger, “Where were you when the planes hit the World Trade Center in 2001?”

We know now that the defining question for our times will be, “Where were you during the insurrection, the attack on our Capitol on January 6, 2021?”

Rioters climb walls of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Photo: AP

Why can’t we forget?

What makes these events so noteworthy, life-changing, and important to remember?

John F. Kennedy, 34th president of the United States, was not the first president to be assassinated, not even the first in the 20th century. That distinction goes to President William McKinley, killed by Leon Czolgosz in 1901. Czolgosz’s name not familiar to you? Not to us, either. Turns out he was an anarchist motivated by his distress at dire social conditions, lauded by some in his movement but condemned by others who thought his action hurt the reputation of their group. McKinley’s assassination wasn’t seared into the national consciousness at the time, but JFK’s death? Never to be forgotten. Why?

Kennedy represented the hopes of a nation. He was young, vigorous, and bright. He was the youngest president ever elected. Everything seemed possible with JFK in the White House. His death stole hope and replaced it with vulnerability and fear. His death felt like a fall from grace for us all.

The Challenger stole our innocence

And then there was the Challenger explosion. As millions of children watched on televisions in their classrooms, a young teacher and mother from a small New England town blew up in space. Parents were incredulous; children were confused and sad. The Americans, first to walk on the moon, avatars of space exploration, indomitable pioneers to the outskirts of the universe, had failed. No longer could we trust our space program to succeed in all its endeavors. No longer could we cavalierly let our children watch in real time the explorations of our astronauts. And how could we help our dear children deal with this horrific reality of lost faith?

9/11 stoked our fear

Those little children were young adults when the planes hit the World Trade Center, crashed into the Pentagon, and went down in Pennsylvania. The losses were unimaginable. All of us who lived near or far from the disasters will never forget 9/11. Why? Because it marks the first time that the United States was attacked by an outside group – terrorists from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries – on our own soil. Some of the attackers had infiltrated our communities and neighborhoods. Close to 3,000 people died, and thousands more still suffer long-term health and psychological effects. Sure, the US had fought within our borders in the War of 1812, but that was a declared war between sovereign nations. Sure, we were attacked at Pearl Harbor, but that was not in the continental US, nor was it an attack on civilians. The terrorists on 9/11 destroyed our sense of safety, our imagined cocoon, our assumed super power.

January 6 split us apart

The January 6, 2021, insurrection will be remembered for some of the same and some different reasons as these other events. The insurrection was an attack on our seat of government, an orchestrated effort to interfere with the peaceful exchange of power, to overturn the Constitutional processes that have governed our country since its founding. It was an attempted coup by a group of Americans, many of whom support white supremacy, the goals of the old Confederacy, and the rights of a mob to make their will prevail. Their acts were the culmination of the divisiveness that has been erupting in our country over the past several decades.

What it was not was a peaceful demonstration by a group with a different point of view; a reasonable attempt to engage in discussion with members of Congress; a legal maneuver to forestall the election results.

Remembering the Insurrection

Last week marked the first anniversary of the January 6 insurrection. Many Republican members of Congress who had formerly condemned the day’s events, and then-President Trump’s role in it, later chose to minimize what happened and perpetuate lies that went so far as claiming the intruders were merely touring the Capitol. They would not stand with their colleagues to denounce what had occurred.

But let there be no mistake. The insurrection must be remembered for what it was.

Like the other events we will never forget, the insurrection makes us feel vulnerable and hopeless, but also alert and on guard. Philosopher George Santayana is often quoted as saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Remembering – and remembering accurately – may not ensure that we don’t repeat the past, but it’s a start. When we speak of this day in history – and we must speak of it – let us commit to using the words “insurrection” and “assault on our Constitution” and “threat to our democracy” to do our part in keeping the truth from being subverted or denied.

As for hope? It seems pretty fragile this week. Along with the threats to our democracy; the challenges to a woman’s right to choose; the rising numbers of homeless and food insecure in our communities; the confusing messages about masks and what is and isn’t safe; the transmission rates of the Omicron variant; and the struggle to get tested for Covid all have us working double-time to stay hopeful.

Keep warm and healthy as you search for your ray of sunshine.

Therese
Judy
Mary
Beth
Leading Ladies Executive Team
ladies@leadingladiesvote.org