On January 6, 2021 the images coming out of Washington, D.C. were shocking and terrifying to see.

Most Americans collectively denounce the events that occurred at the Capitol that day. We hear, “This isn’t who we are” or “Those actions don’t represent my beliefs.”

But is that true? Or is that the lie we tell ourselves when events spiral out of control?

It is irrelevant which side of the divide has lost control when the actions of the people involved result in the destruction of property, threatens the institutions of our government, or perhaps worst of all, takes the lives of fellow Americans.

Less than two weeks have passed since that day. One only needs to read online comments or listen to talk radio call-ins to understand: We are already forgetting, “This isn’t who we are” and “Those actions don’t represent my beliefs”.

Who is to blame? The media, both news and social, left-wing, right-wing, Trump, Pelosi?

The truth is: Words matter. Society is how we behave. We are all to blame.

Karen Cote

Windham