As an Arthritis Advocate, The Capitol Riot Made Me Angry

I am angry about the Capitol riot. You may be saying, so what? Or maybe you are wondering what that has to do with ankylosing spondylitis? Perhaps not much, or perhaps a lot. Let me explain.

Background

But first, a bit about my background. I had the honor of serving a city in Indiana for 17 years as a Development Specialist, Development Director, and City Comptroller. Along the way, I dealt with people of all walks of the political spectrum. We had a saying in that City Hall; our best reelection chance came through high-quality service. 

Yes, I campaigned hard for the people who I thought would make good Mayors. Fortunately, in  17 years, my candidate usually won. But the minute the election was over, it was over; we had to move on. We did not and could let grudges, big or small stop us from the city's real business, serving our community. Our opponents were our constituents; after all, next time, we might end up being the constituents.

Bipartisanship is what I was taught as a graduate holding two public management degrees from the Indiana University Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. I am proud to hold a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs and a Master of Public Affairs from the school which is named for a prominent, conservative politician and former Cabinet Secretary.  Secretary O'Neill's philosophy often did not match mine, but we learned that good governance consisted of the art of listening and of respecting others. Working across the aisle is in my political DNA as it should be for anyone who chooses to work in government.

Anything but bipartisanship

This is why I am so upset about the Capitol riot. As I watched it unfold on television, I could only think of mob rule. You know, the kind of governance where might make right?  Frankly, arthritis research and disability rights programs could not stand a chance in that sort of environment. 

Do we believe that a mob would protect valuable programs that benefit us by providing Medicare and Medicaid payments for expensive medications? Of course not. Do we believe the disability rights laws would exist? How about Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 that gives women and people with disabilities a chance to participate in sports? The answer is no. These issues and many more would be overwhelmed by advocates for Cancer, Heart Disease, and maybe even hair loss (that is a movement I might join).

Remember, those halls of Congress that we saw being ravaged on January 6th are the very halls that we send our advocates to in order to talk about arthritis research. Do not think for a minute that if the country were ruled by the mob that we would stand a chance of getting one thin dime of support. Remember that these are the halls and corridors that we send our children to in order to teach them how to settle disputes with civility. What I witnessed on January 6th, 2021, was despicable and repugnant to the nearly universal hope that our children can learn to resolve differences without violence.

The legislative process may seem slow, antiquated, and out of touch. Who you know may seem more important than the need? Trust me; I have argued many losing ideas and a few winners in those same type of corridors of Congress stormed by that mob. I have gone away angry and thrilled that action was or was not taken. But those are the breaks through which you keep trying, and sometimes a great idea breaks through. Sometimes my thoughts were not so great, and those never broke through.

I was so upset by the violence that I could not continue to watch it unfold. Those who encouraged, those who participated, and those who stood aside and let it happen need to be punished and I believe will be in due time. But I cannot stand by without commenting.

My stand on this issue does not mean that I think citizens should not be heard. I advocate strongly for the right to protest, speak, even raise my voice loudly in the proper forum. But what we saw on January 6th, 2021 was most certainly none of that. What we saw was an attempt to subvert an election outcome using the mob. I believe mobs should be heard, but they should never be recognized when violence is employed. What we saw at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021 was disgusting to me, and if this method were adopted for political decisions, it would harm our community.

I do not care who does it; we cannot tolerate violence as a part of the decision making in this society. If we do, we will no longer have a society. I like what James Madison said about Athens:

"Had every Athenian citizen been a Socrates, every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob."¹

We cannot afford to have mobs rule our country. Even if I agree with what they want, we cannot let them ever get their way because they resort to violence. If we do, we will lose our country, and in the interest of our community, we will lose critical support to address ankylosing spondylitis.