RECKONIN'
  • Features
    • Book Bench
    • Charlottesville
    • COVID Commentary
    • Dixie These Days
    • Links
    • Magnolia Muse
    • Matters of Faith
    • Movie Room
    • Southern History
    • Writing Contest 2022
  • Contributors
    • Full List
    • Mark Atkins
    • Al Benson
    • Carolina Contrarian
    • Enoch Cade
    • Boyd Cathey
    • Dissident Mama
    • Ted Ehmann
    • Walt Garlington
    • Gail Jarvis
    • Gene Kizer, Jr.
    • Neil Kumar
    • Perrin Lovett
    • Ilana Mercer
    • Tom Riley
    • H.V. Traywick, Jr.
    • Clyde Wilson
  • Contact
  • Features
    • Book Bench
    • Charlottesville
    • COVID Commentary
    • Dixie These Days
    • Links
    • Magnolia Muse
    • Matters of Faith
    • Movie Room
    • Southern History
    • Writing Contest 2022
  • Contributors
    • Full List
    • Mark Atkins
    • Al Benson
    • Carolina Contrarian
    • Enoch Cade
    • Boyd Cathey
    • Dissident Mama
    • Ted Ehmann
    • Walt Garlington
    • Gail Jarvis
    • Gene Kizer, Jr.
    • Neil Kumar
    • Perrin Lovett
    • Ilana Mercer
    • Tom Riley
    • H.V. Traywick, Jr.
    • Clyde Wilson
  • Contact

Jonathan Harris

Stop the Steal Rally: My Experience

1/12/2021

4 Comments

 
Picture

I've probably spent 10 hours reconstructing what happened at the Capitol. Censorship has made this process more difficult, but I think I've gotten about as far as I'll get at this point. Unpreparedness and chaos are both good words to describe what happened inside the Capitol. There were members of radical groups, including some sympathetic with Antifa who were present and did help instigate along with angry Trump supporters.

Hundreds of Trump supporters made it into the Capitol. The police were totally unprepared. In some instances the police let protestors near or inside the Capitol. In others, they retreated after struggling with protestors. The vast majority of the those who made it into the building were angry but peaceful, staying in walkway areas, picking up trash, etc. 

Many thought they were allowed in. Some of this is due to the fact they were not at the front of the line where, if there was a struggle, few witnessed it. Police officers giving directions and allowing selfies to be taken with protestors, etc. also contributed to this sense. 

It is important to realize that those in the front at the Capitol, where agitation occurred, could NOT have been present for all of Trump's speech, and most were probably not present for any of it. Those who listened and followed Trump's instructions arrived much later.

Trump called for a peaceful march, but some mainstream media reported that Trump supporters were storming the Capitol before his speech was even complete. The most loyal Trump supporters (who cared about his words) were not present for any of the initial confrontations.

The motive of the majority, as represented in video testimony, seems to be a somewhat naïve and sincere attempt to inform their representatives to not certify fraudulent electoral votes. There was a very small, but evil minority who stole items and disheveled offices etc.

The hundreds of thousands outside the Capitol, of which I was a part, had no idea of what happened inside. If the goal of the majority had been to have an "insurrection" there would have been one, and no one present could have stopped the crowd. The crowd did NOT want that.

This is further reinforced by the fact that many videos show Trump supporters tackling or confronting individuals they believe to be Antifa members who are damaging property outside the Capitol. We witnessed no property destruction and neither did hundreds of thousands.

I can't speculate about why most riot police were hours late, why Capitol police were ill prepared, and allowed and directed protestors to enter in some instances, why some of the outfits (helmets, tactical gear, etc.) worn in videos by protesters weren't present at the Trump rally, why the riot police who were present stood down, why multiple sources claim "Antifa" or some kind of group of radicals came from a different direction than those streaming in from the Trump rally (and the list goes on).

But, there are some conclusions I CAN reach that do not fit the media narrative. 

1) Trump did not call for violence. He called for peace in his speech, and again in a video Twitter deleted. 

2) 98% of attendees had no participation or knowledge about what took place inside.

3) Most of the hundreds who made it inside had no desire to harm anyone or anything and remained civil. 

4) After a young lady, who was not behaving violently, was unexpectedly killed by an officer those inside left and seemed both shocked and surprised violence occurred.

5) The lack of preparedness and incompetence on the part of whoever(s) controlled law enforcement can only be due to extreme negligence or evil intent. 

​6) Condemning Trump or his supporters as a group for what happened is simply lying.
4 Comments
Samuel S. Alvarado
1/12/2021 12:47:58 pm

Dear John,

Thank you for the posting. I learned about you in the fall of last year when I came across your podcast show. I immediately identified with what you were saying. Thank you especially for your prayer session yesterday. Since I started listening to you, I was curious about your father and seeing and hearing him was a blessing. I, along with him, shed tears when he prayed. I saw the love, respect, and reverence you have for him by the tone of your voice and your address. I could see that, too, in your expression when you looked at him in your monitor. I haven't stopped thinking about what happened last week and its significance. I know that God is taking all things in one direction toward His glory in Christ, our Lord, according to His will. I also know that we, as believers, have a part to play in this and that as well is according to His will. We are to be as the men of Issachar and do that which He expects us to do. The Lord does not abandon His Church and He provides all that is needed. Our choice is to heed and follow and be counted among the worthy. Whose praise and acceptance do we desire, His or the world's? I'm not a Dominionist, I just want to know Him and belong to Him and live as His in a world that has rejected Him. Thanks for the leadership.

Reply
Christine link
10/25/2021 04:55:16 pm

Samuel, your comments/essay really encouraged me to gain more understanding so my conversations can be informed and considered-I’m grateful for your post, as well as Jon’s discernments and clarity. Thank You Father Amen.

Reply
Gyuhwan Han
1/12/2021 01:27:43 pm

Thank you so much, Jon, for your honest and truthful report.

When so many people are discouraged, I find hope in God's word, especially 2 Kings 16:17 where God opened the eyes of the scared young man so he could see the mighty host of God. He protects His people and smites His enemy. Praise the Lord!

Keep up the good work.

Reply
Jan Weaver
1/12/2021 08:27:21 pm

Hundreds of thousands of people travelled to DC hoping and praying that their elected officials would hear their concerns and object to the counting of votes in contested states, knowing that at that point evidence would be presented and arguments made. Why would they interrupt that hoped for process before any serious debate had yet taken place? They knew this was their last chance to have America see any substantive evidence that courts and governors and Secretary's of State and election officials had fought to keep hidden.

It makes no sense, whatsoever, that those so convinced of a stolen election would behave in such as way as to ensure that Congress, the media, the entire country would never allow another word of their concern to be uttered, much less considered legitimate.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Jonathan Harris lives with his wife in Lynchburg, Virginia. He has a B.A. in history from Thomas Edison State University and an M.Div. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jonathan enjoys outdoor activities (he is a member of the Catskill 3500 club, an honor he values more than any of his academic accolades), playing guitar, and fixing furniture. Jonathan, growing up in a the home of a pastor, gave his life to Jesus Christ at a young age and has been involved in music and college ministry since he was 18. 

Proudly powered by Weebly