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District of Columbia National Guard stand outside the Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021, after a day of rioting protesters (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
AP In more than 220 years, the US Capitol had seen nothing like it: a roiling mob, forcing its way past its majestic marble columns, disrupting the passage of power, desecrating the seat of the world’s greatest democracy.
But this was far from the first time the Capitol has been scarred by violence.
In 1814, just 14 years after the building opened, British forces in the War of 1812 tried to burn it down. The invaders looted the building first, and then set the southern and northern wings ablaze incinerating the Library of Congress. A sudden rainstorm prevented its total destruction, but the building was left “a most magnificent ruin,” according to architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe.
Over the centuries since, events have made a mockery of the inscription on the rostrum of the House chamber “Union, Justice, Tolerance, Liberty, Peace.” The building has been bombed several times. There have been shootings. One legislator almost killed another. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bower labeled the Wednesday attack on the U.S. Capitol “terrorism” and said D.C. must have control of its National Guard, not the president. “We must get statehood on the president’s desk within the first 100 days,” Bowser said. “Congress must immediately transfer command of the District of Columbia National Guard from the president of the United States and put it squarely under the command and control of the mayor of the District of Columbia.”
While most Bay Area residents could find Burlingame on a map, far fewer, one suspects, know much about the cityâs namesake. This year, the 200th anniversary of Anson Burlingameâs birth, provides a chance to become acquainted.
As an outspoken congressman, fervent abolitionist and groundbreaking diplomat, Burlingame dedicated his life to causes as significant now as two centuries ago. Indeed, Burlingame likely would have felt right at home today as he was in mid-19th century America, joining protests for racial justice, fair treatment of immigrants, equality and the sovereignty of nations.
In the mid-1800s, during the months leading up to the Civil War, Burlingame crisscrossed the country giving fearless and uncompromising orations against slavery at a time when, as his friend Mark Twain wrote, âit was neither very creditable nor very safe to hold such a creed.â
Here s another reason to hedge your bets by using the Happy Holidays greeting at this season: Monday is Forefathers Day. Deride its importance at your own peril, and at the peril of your country.
Forefathers Day likely is not on your calendar and surely is not top of mind, but it has been celebrated one way or another for 251 years, usually on Dec. 21 but not always, its date dependent on which historical account, which calendar and which source is regarded as preeminent.
It turns out that this is a pretty important Forefathers Day, occurring as it does exactly 400 years after the Pilgrims the forefathers we have in mind landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts. Not that, amidst a pandemic, there will be much public celebration for such an important anniversary.
400th anniversary of Forefathers Day was Dec 21 kpcnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kpcnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.