Fwd: Reflecting on the lessons that the January 6th attack made clear:

Pete and Tess

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tim Kaine <info@timkaine.com>
Date: January 6, 2024 at 2:58:14 PM EST
To: Peter Tintle <peteandtess@gmail.com>
Subject: Reflecting on the lessons that the January 6th attack made clear:
Reply-To: info@timkaine.com



Peter,     Three years ago today, a violent mob attacked our Capitol — incited by a "Big Lie" spread by President Trump and intended to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power and disenfranchise 80 million American voters.   January 6th stands as a dark stain in our nation's history. It led to the tragic deaths of multiple heroic law enforcement officers, and I'm thinking of their families and loved ones on this anniversary.    I'm also thinking about the lessons about human nature that the January 6th attack made clear. As we enter 2024, these truths feel particularly important to reflect on:   First, that character is destiny. In electing Donald Trump, America trusted its most important post to a moral defective. Some hoped he would moderate his behavior under the weight of responsibility or grow into the job. We saw clearly — throughout his presidency and in the violence and racism at the Capitol with which it culminated — that that is just not how life works.    Second, that the success of evil depends upon the degree to which people choose to be bystanders. Far too many smart, educated people chose to be bystanders — starting with the tens of millions of Americans who sat out the 2016 election and continuing everywhere, most visibly in Congress, where many of my colleagues, though privately worried, simply went along with the unacceptable. Bystanderism allowed a pathetic and insecure leader to do things that most of us thought unimaginable in this great nation.    With this November's elections, we will have a new opportunity to stand up and take action — a chance to face the tests before us, reject bystanderism, and be true to our values.    I am still angry that our Capitol was attacked three years ago. That people needlessly died. We will always feel the impacts of that awful day.   But I have been an optimist my whole life, and today is no different. I am hopeful that in 2024 we will rise to the challenges we face, and I'm grateful that you will be by my side as we tackle the year ahead.   Thanks for reading,    Tim Kaine   CONTRIBUTE   Paid for by Kaine for Virginia Kaine for Virginia P.O. Box 239 Alexandria, VA 22313 United States If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.