What do you remember about the BLM protests in the summer of 2020? What about the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol? Compare and contrast the federal government’s response to and media coverage of each event.

What do you remember about the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020? What about the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021? Compare and contrast the federal government’s response to and media coverage of each event.

Both events were shocking, horrible, and painful to see. The press coverage showed us the dark and ugly side of our nation. It was unbelievable to realize some citizens approved of police brutality and of the assault on the Capitol.

I cried when I watched the traitors storming the Capitol and attacking the Capitol police trying to defend it. The response from the president at the time was a foretaste of what he is trying to do again.

The bi-partisan January 6th Congressional Committee did a fantastic job of laying out exactly what happened. It can happen again, since so many of our government leaders have lost all sense of honor and truth. Instead of serving the people, they serve themselves and their cult leader.

During the BLM protests, Trump mobilized the National Guard. During the insurrection at the Capitol, he watched t.v. Yet, 50% of "Americans" want him to be president again. Personally, I am not proud to be an American at this moment.

There is so much that can be said about these events. I will just list two memories. I remember being glad that there are phone cameras. Without videos of unjust behavior many people would not believe that it can happen. I remember that a church in a rural, extremely conservative area had a prayer service. I was very glad to hear that until I found out that they were praying for the riots to end and not for the murder of George Floyd.

Both remain vivid for me. I found that most of the mainstream media provided fair and unbiased coverage of the events of the BLM movement and the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Note that I said most of the mainstream media. One TV station in particular fully engaged in biased reporting of the events. They did it for years before these events and they continue to do it. Adding all of the social media radicals to it has brought us to a current flashpoint.

The former US president's response of attempting to bring in the military to put down the BLM's protests goes against every citizen's first amendment rights. No, I do not believe in violent protests and I condemn the violence, looting and destruction that many BLM protestors engaged in. Yet, bringing in the military would have absolutely not been appropriate and against the Constitution and military precedent. I did feel that in "The 1619 Project" that the contributors sometimes tried to justify that violence by citing the rage that blacks have due to the overwhelming grievous injustices suffered throughout our country's history. But, I maintain that peaceful protests are in the bedrock of our country.

Compare the former president's response to BLM protests to his response to January 6, 2021. He encouraged it for weeks with the "It will be wild" tweet among other activities he engaged in, encouraged it with his speech on the Ellipse, did nothing for over 3 hours after the mob attacked the Capitol, and then when he finally told them to stop and go home, he told them, "We love you". Five people died as a result of the riot and many others suffered permanent impairment, yet numerous members of the former president's party said it was a peaceful gathering. I remember watching the insurrectionists climbing up the Capitol walls and thinking it looked just like something out of a horror movie. I sat in front of the TV and trembled for hours that day. I continue to tremble for the fate of our democracy.

So yes, there was definitely a difference between how BLM and the insurrectionists were perceived by the former president and his administration. The white teenager who shot three men, killing two during the BLM protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin was found not guilty. Yes, insurrectionists were found, charged, tried, and many sent to prison, but the former president has pledged to pardon all of these "great patriots" if he regains the White House.

Had the bulk of the protesters on January 6th been Black there would not have been a successful insurrection. The National Guard, Army, and Air Force would have been called on immediately at the first sign of trouble.

I agree with Joyce and everyone else about both of these events. I fail to understand why most Americans want to see the man who would pardon the January 6th "protesters" back in office. He doesn't care about any American except himself and being in power. I just don't get it! Is all the media attention responsible? What motivates us? Sorry if I am being too political, but that question pushes all my buttons.