Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Anyone who has ever suffered a serious bodily injury knows that you never fully heal. You might think you’re all good. Then, one day, something reminds you that you are not.

We’re fast approaching one of those reminders.

The anniversary of the insurrection that occurred on January 6, 2021, in Washington is a reminder of one of America’s darkest hours, a crime of such proportions that it cannot be forgotten or excused.

So vile were some of the actions of the mob that carried out the siege of the nation’s capitol that they can’t even be spelled out in this newspaper or spoken on television. We can say, however, that there are these facts:

• Five people died. One insurrectionist was shot by Capitol Police, one died of a drug overdose, and three died of natural causes, including a police officer who died the day after the traumatic events.
• Several rioters had firearms, and dozens wielded knives, bats, debilitating sprays, metal flagpoles ,and other makeshift weapons.
• 174 police officers, our sworn public protectors, were assaulted, many suffering PTSD like soldiers returning from combat.
• 1,561 people were arrested and charged with criminal acts. Many went to prison.
• The Capitol was damaged, and government property was destroyed or stolen. Repair, cleanup, and replacement costs were nearly $3 million.
• Many of the insurrectionists already had criminal records before they strapped on body armor and tactical gear to join the mob that day.

Oh sure. We survived it. But, the pain reminds us that we were seriously hurt by people who trampled on our democracy as if it were nothing more than a soiled rag.

Larry McDermott is a local retired farmer/journalist. Reach him at hardscrabblehollow@gmail.com