Tanzina: It's The Takeaway, I'm Tanzina Vega and since yesterday afternoon's insurrection at the Capitol Building, you've been sharing your reactions, your fears and even your hopes for the future with us.
Michelle: Hi, my name is Michelle Curry in Wichita, Kansas. I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed with all of the things going on in DC right now. I've never seen anything like this before. I'm 30 years old, I have grandparents who lived through the civil rights movement and I've heard a lot of things from the state of Mississippi, but this is outrageous.
Liz: This is Liz from Encinitas, California. The events of January 6th, were a reminder to all of us that we cannot just carelessly assume democracy will always be with us, that we have to affirm it and fight for it every day and in every election. We have to inform ourselves. My biggest fear is that millions of people are no longer able to separate fact from fiction.
Leith: Hi, this is Leith calling from Anchorage, Alaska. What I saw today from members of the so called law and order party was absolute lawlessness. It will take humility from those on the right to back down from their extreme views and conspiracies and it will take humility from those on the left to forgive them and listen to their legitimate concerns. I was also frankly shocked by the lack of preparedness by law enforcement and I shudder to think of what would have happened if the protesters were any race, other than the white mob that they were.
Jennifer: My name is Jennifer and I'm calling from Bergen County, New Jersey. I'm a Republican, a white woman, I'm heartbroken, our country, it's not only with Trump, it's becoming, from a long time. If there's demonstration from the left, they're socialists and communists, if there's demonstrations from the right there patriots. Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, all of them should resign today because they've been stoking that fire. Our children depend on our country.
Julie: This is Julie Motts, and I live in Fairfax, California. The rioting made me realize how dangerous it is for any group of people in our country to feel so disempowered that they have to result to violence, and how dangerous it is to have a president who secretly feels like a victim himself, and wants to foment violence among other people who feel like victims.
Sam: Hi, my name is Sam and I am in North Carolina. I'm gay and I have a wonderful partner of seven years. However, he has taken a right turn these past few months because of the misinformation and lies propagated by the right. I am now in my car outside my condo, that he and I reside in, because he will not listen to reason. This is how our so-called leaders flippant disregarding information that tears families apart. Please, this has got to stop now.
Speaker 2: How am I feeling about the future of our country after today's riots? Counterintuitively, I feel hopeful for our future because there are people who are saying no, who are standing up and saying this is not okay. We have a more diverse legislative body than ever and if we can put laws into action to protect and uplift people, then we're heading in the right direction.
Speaker 3: I think everybody knows that, especially the white supremacists, nationalist, Trump cultists, terrorists, that they're the only group who could have gotten away with doing what they did today, storming the Capitol, and not even worry about their physical safety. It's just appalling and scary to think about what would have happened if it were any other group of people.
Tanzina: Thanks for all your thoughts on a very difficult moment in American history. If you want to weigh in, you can record a voice memo and send it to us at takeawaycallers@gmail.com or you can call us at 877-869-8253. We'll have more coming up on The Takeaway. Stick with us.
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