Louisiana Voice

Despite an FBI report that WARNED of “war” at the US Capitol, security personnel were caught with their pants down last Wednesday as thousands of pro-Trump thugs attempted what the India Times called a “Coup Klux Klan”-type takeover of the federal government.

Now comes another alert from the FBI that there are plans for armed protests at all 50 state capitals and Washington, D.C. in the days leading up to and including the Jan. 20 inauguration day.

Louisiana State Police say they are prepared. More on that later.

We watched in a mixture of horror and disbelief as a Confederate flag, a symbol of treason and hatred was paraded through the National Hall of Statues, as Capitol police were beaten by fellow Americans (not to be confused with real patriots), as an Arkansas hillbilly plopped down at Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk, as property was destroyed and as six people ultimately died.

We found ourselves wanting to hurl a brick through the television when Trump only reluctantly sent out a pre-recorded, half-hearted, but certainly self-serving appeal for calm to “special people.”

How a country called the “shining beacon on the hill” could go from the symbol of freedom and world leadership to third-world status in a short four years is beyond me but make no mistake: the rhetoric of the mentally-deranged man at the helm had a helluva lot to do with it, well, actually, all of it.

Those mouth-breathing trolls who were hanging off the Capitol building like so many spider monkeys in the San Diego Zoo were nothing less than subversive insurgents. The fact that some of them carried American flags doesn’t change the fact that they were anarchists. And if you use the flag pole to beat a police officer senseless, you’re a common criminal due no more respect than some back-alley mugger.

Make no mistake: Trump brought this on with his lies, lies, lies and more lies about the Nov. 3 election having been “rigged.”

And before any of you try to repeat that lie, first explain how it is that no fewer than 50 court cases – attempts to overturn the election results – have been thrown out by judges, many of whom are Trump appointees. Even his three U.S. Supreme Court justices opted not to hear arguments on the Tweeter-in-Chief’s behalf.

Even Republic statewide elected officials in Georgia and Arizona refused to crater to his absurd claims and now some of them have been threatened by Trump’s demented loyalists who, like Trump himself, have not a shred of evidence of election fraud but are not short on hair-brained conspiracy theories that include lizard people and botched press briefings at the Four Seasons Lawn Service.

Before you try to advance that election fraud argument, please give us some evidence. Saying there was fraud doesn’t make it so any more than saying Bigfoot exists is going to coax the mythical man-beast out of the woods near you. But I will grant you this: claiming his existence makes about as much sense as any assertion of election fraud without accompanying documentation.

But one thing, unfortunately, is pretty much a good bet: there is likely to be more violence between now and Jan. 20. And that’s not a good thing. Trump has already turned this country into a Central American revolution-type laughingstock. More violence will only make a bad situation worse.

Sadly, not a word of this missive is going to change the minds of these fanatics.

But, as I said earlier, State Police say they are ready.

“Louisiana State Police is aware of the planned protests at the State Capitol and is working closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to coordinate security protocols,” says a statement from Lt. Nick Manale of the LSP Public Affairs Section.

The statement said that LSP “will not be able to provide specific information regarding protest security measures and cannot comment on the security protocols concerning the Governor’s Mansion and Louisiana State Capitol.”

That’s understandable. It would foolish to show their hand to a band of outlaws like the Three Percenters or the Proud Boys.

“As with previous protest events across the state, the Louisiana State Analytical & Fusion Exchange continually monitors potential security concerns and will be providing pertinent information to our public safety personnel to ensure safety for protesters, Capitol grounds and staff, and the surrounding community,” Manale said.

“In coordination with Capitol staff and the Department of Public Safety Police, LSP will have personnel in place to ensure a safe environment and to protect the rights of our citizens to hold a peaceful gathering.”

Let’s hope he’s right.