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What A January!

In the wake of the Capitol Riot and at the dawn of a new Presidency, the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. take on a new meaning.

Kelly V. Porter
4 min readJan 17, 2021

As our country still reels from the terror of witnessing a nationalist mob force its way into the halls of the U.S. Capitol built by enslaved Americans, this treasonous attack has shone a light on the intrinsic nature of our democracy. Not only is it fragile, thereby requiring fierce protection, but at the same time, it must constantly be pushed forward because there are some who will stop at nothing to try and pull it back.

So, as we enter a time when The Capitol Riot, Martin Luther King Day, and Inauguration Day will forever be connected by mere days, I ponder the strange relationship between these three seemingly disparate events. I also think about what each of these events says about the true nature of patriotism.

It’s amazing to me how many Americans are shocked by the deadly insurrection that occurred in Washington, DC on January 6. If that’s you, then please brush up on some history. Start with the New Orleans Massacre of 1866, the Colfax Massacre of 1873, or the other various riots that took place during the Election of 1876. Sadly, anti-government extremists are nothing new. Nor is the violent refusal to accept the results of a free and fair…

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Kelly V. Porter
Kelly V. Porter

Written by Kelly V. Porter

Writer. Sometimes Interior Decorator. www.kellyvporter.com and @kellyporterwrites on IG

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