Byron York on Friday asked, “Was Jan. 6 An armed insurrection?” and missed the point about the Jan. 6 violent attack on the U.S. Capitol.

It was a failed coup attempt by those believing the big lie by the disgraced former guy twice impeached that the election was stolen from him. The attackers were spurred on by Mr. Trump to stop the legal counting of the electoral votes declaring President Biden to be the winner of the 2020 election and the next president of the U.S.A.  The rioters even threatened to hang Republican Vice President Pence because he would not defy his legal duties and go along with the overthrow. What’s more, most of us watched it all play out on TV before our very eyes.

Some Republican leaders on that day tried to get Mr. Trump to call off the attack and others decried the attack, only to  return to their misguided worshipful following of the ex-president and loser of the 2020 election. Many lawsuits have been filed claiming fraud, many attempts to again overthrow the legal vote count, and all have failed. Authorities have said the 2020 election was fair, and Mr. Trump is definitely the loser.

Many Republican led states are passing laws based on the big lie to put themselves in power in elections to even throw out votes they do not agree with. Yes, the insurrectionist coup attempt is still taking place. Whether or not the rioters were armed is not the question. They and their leaders are traitors to the U.S. democracy.  If these attempts are not stopped in their tracks, the U.S. democratic republic will fall. Do you want to live in a dictatorship or nazi-like  state?

The Voting Rights Act must be enacted if the U.S. democracy is to be  maintained.

— Pat Bullard
China Grove