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By Trish Munro
On January 6, 2021, traitors to this country attempted a coup. They invaded the Capitol Building, the space that belongs to all Americans, past, present, and future, threatened our elected representatives, and threatened to hang then-Vice President Pence.
While we must remember that day and while those who participated and supported the sedition must be punished, it is equally as important to remember those who acted on behalf of our country and look to them as models for our own behavior.
As rioters stormed the building, looking for the three mahogany boxes containing the certified electoral college votes, young Senate aides calmly and courageously carried them to safety to preserve the rule of law.
The picture of Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman keeping the threatening mob from entering the Senate Chamber has become a symbol of bravery, yet he was not alone. The entire Capitol Police force held back the mob at great personal cost, including injury and death. Without that selfless courage, the coup might have succeeded, and our democracy ended.
Once the rioters had been removed or fled, the invisible work of cleaning up and repairing began.
NJ Rep. Andy Kim demonstrated the kind of leadership we should expect from all who hold elected office, joining police officers as they cleaned up debris. At the time, he said, “When you see something you love that’s broken you want to fix it. I love the Capitol…How many countless generations have been inspired in that room?”
And then there are the building custodians. Under normal circumstances, cleaning up is a necessary, underrated, and underpaid job. Following the rampage, the Capitol Building custodians cleaned up broken furniture, discarded garbage and trash, and even bodily waste. Through their actions they began to rededicate our sacred space, our Capitol Building.
Over the last three years, the memories of that terrible time have faded, although the clean-up, through the trials of the many people who participated — including those wishing to install an authoritarian government — continue.
The lessons from those heroes can serve as models for us all to act calmly to preserve what is precious, stand up to protect our community, lead by example, especially when that action seems humble, and honor those who clean up the messes left behind.
Editor's note: Send your opinions on Livermore topics to editor@livermorevine.com. All submissions will undergo editorial review and must include author's full name.
