In a heartfelt op-ed shared by The Washington Post, President Joe Biden has urged all Americans to remember the events of January 6, 2021 – a day when democracy itself was put to the ultimate test.
As the fourth anniversary of the Capitol attack approaches, Biden emphasized the importance of keeping the truth alive. “We cannot allow the truth to be lost,” he said, reminding everyone that future generations will learn about this day through history books and personal accounts. It’s up to us to make sure that what happened is never rewritten or forgotten.
A Day of Chaos and Courage
On January 6, 2021, a group of Donald Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, aiming to stop the certification of the 2020 election results. Trump, who had lost but refused to accept it, urged his supporters to “fight like hell” that morning. The attack shook the nation, but our democracy stood strong.
Biden reflected on that day, saying that while he’s committed to a peaceful transfer of power, Americans cannot act as if the attack never happened. He pointed directly to Trump’s actions, calling them a real threat to democracy, and expressed hope that we’ve moved past that moment.
Remembering the Battle for Democracy
As Congress prepares to certify the November election results on January 6, Biden reminded everyone how routine this process once seemed. But after what we all saw in 2021, he noted, we can never take our democracy for granted.
He warned of efforts to downplay the significance of the Capitol attack – attempts to rewrite history and dismiss what happened as “just a protest that got out of hand.” But Biden was clear: That’s simply not true.
“We should never forget it is our democracy that makes everything possible – our freedoms, our rights, our liberties, our dreams,” Biden said. “And that it falls to every generation of Americans to defend and protect it.”
As we mark the anniversary of January 6th, let’s commit to remembering it as the day our democracy was tested—and ultimately triumphed. After all, the future of democracy is in our hands.
Key Takeaways:
- January 6, 2021, was a pivotal moment for American democracy.
- Biden urges everyone to remember the truth of what happened and resist attempts to rewrite history.
- Protecting democracy is an ongoing responsibility for each new generation.