Bidens petty intolerance over Capitol riots will be politically costly – Sydney Morning Herald

It was a turbulent end to a tumultuous presidency. On January 6, 2021 Insurrection Day the United States Capitol building was invaded by white supremacist terrorists armed with stun guns, pepper spray, baseball bats and flagpoles in an effort to overthrow the American government. The world watched in dismay and disbelief. Scott Morrison was distressed. Jacinda Ardern was devastated.

Rioters break into the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021. Credit:AP

Never before have so many people from so many places cared so much about Congress.

The riots were, indeed, deadly: five people died last year on Capitol Hill. But only one was killed: Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt, who was shot at point blank range by a plainclothes police officer as she climbed through a door that had just been shattered by invaders. The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing. He later claimed that he saved countless lives.

Its rare to be shot for trespassing, even in America. But thats the past, and perhaps its time to move on. Joe Biden already seemed to think so, nearly a year ago. Citing Abraham Lincoln in his January 20 inaugural address, he pledged to put his whole soul into bringing America together, uniting our people, and uniting our nation.

He believed this was possible if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts; if we show a little tolerance and humility.

US President Joe Bidens inauguration speech pledge to unite the country has failed to materialise.Credit:Patrick Semansky

Tolerance is, after all, exactly what the United States showed to the million or so southerners who literally took up arms against the federal government in the 1861-1865 Civil War, all of whom were pardoned. Meanwhile, more than 700 people have been charged with crimes in connection with the events on Capitol Hill. Thats right: more people are being prosecuted for January 6 than for the Civil War. When Biden read Abraham Lincolns second inaugural address, he apparently missed the part about with malice toward none; with charity for all.

Still, trespassing is trespassing, and most of the Capitol insurrectionists have been charged with the heinous offence of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. Who knew that was illegal? After seven months of watching mostly peaceful protesters seize control of city centres with few apparent consequences, maybe the insurrectionists thought they could get away with a bit of parading on what is, after all, public property.

Instead, the man who propped his foot on a desk in House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office (it turns out that it wasnt actually her desk) was arrested, jailed, and denied bail. He was labelled a looter and charged with stealing government property (an empty mailing envelope). An appeals court eventually overturned the decision of the lower court not to allow the 60-year-old man with no prior criminal record to post bail, but not before he had spent four months in prison.

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Bidens petty intolerance over Capitol riots will be politically costly - Sydney Morning Herald