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King County, Washington sent this bulletin at 01/07/2021 08:36 PM PST

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January 7, 2021
insurrection

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Like many, if not most or all of you, I watched yesterday in horror as our nation’s capitol was overrun with violent insurrectionists.  Not only was our Capitol Building under siege, overrun, and much of it vandalized, but also our political process, our democracy and the republic itself were under attack, and there was nothing we could do about it but watch. Yesterday, I shared the following statement with you all and on social media. 

The events in our nation’s capital today are appalling, and the actions taken by federal elected officials, including the President, to stoke these unfounded fears and divisive sentiments are unconscionable and rooted in white supremacy.  A coup attempt is happening on U.S. soil at the U.S. Capitol, and the way that both our national leaders and the American people respond to these events will define our future. And the contrast between the treatment of these insurrectionists and the peaceful non-armed Black Lives Matter protestors speaks volumes. Side with democracy, support a peaceful transition of power.

And I found it impossible not to notice the double standard in treatment of yesterday’s insurrectionists as compared to this summer’s BLM protesters. While the causes, goals and conduct of the relatively small group of BLM protestors legally assembling and demonstrating against racism and police brutality were obviously completely different from the those of yesterday’s violent, unlawfully assembled, and outrageous insurgents attacking the Capitol, the police response was completely different. D.C. law enforcement, at all levels, was armed for BLM, and either was unprepared for yesterday or uninterested in responding adequately.  And the magnitude and outright violence of yesterday’s insurgence were incomparable to the mostly peaceful BLM demonstrations.  Undeniable and extreme differences.

And these actions were not confined to the U.S. Capitol. Insurrectionists in Washington state also breached security at the Governor’s mansion. 

Today, as I continue to reflect on what this means, I realize that yesterday’s attacks were deeply shocking but unfortunately unsurprising. For the past several years, extremist leaders, as well as the President, have exploited the fears and anxieties of their constituencies, sowing mistrust in government institutions and in the free press—one of our best safeguards against fascism. Political sentiments that would have been viewed as fringe a few decades ago have found their way into the mainstream. It will take each of us, in our own spheres of influence, speaking out and calling others in to the battle to dismantle white supremacy and other radical conduct. 

And for some of you, this message may not be well-received. To those of you out there, thank you for reading this far. 

If you are one of the folks that struggles reading today’s words, I hope you trust that I don’t write them lightly. If you are inclined to dismiss today’s note as a partisan or sensationalized appeal, I implore you to reconsider.  I care deeply about our democracy, and I hope you do, too. 

I appreciate your engagement, and I look forward to continuing to work with you to better understand each other and work towards a democracy that is safe for all our residents.

As always, I would like to hear from you. You can call me at 206-477-1004 or you can reach me by email at jeanne.kohl-welles@kingcounty.gov. 

All the best and I hope you are staying safe.