The attacks on the Capitol evidently represent Donald Trump's attempt to overthrow our democracy. His hunger for power has caused immense damage to the country by polarizing it while spreading conspiracy theories. Our nation must realize that he is a threat and will not stop until he gets what he wants: to stay in power. What happened in Washington, D.C. was a declaration of war, and we must not ignore it. Trump encouraged a huge crowd of his followers to undermine the legislative branch of our government because he lost the elections. Everyone who participated in the riots must be charged with domestic terrorism, sedition, trespassing, and other various counts of violence.

 

Another aspect to think about is security. Despite the warnings of a possible attack that the F.B.I. provided in advance, law enforcement failed to protect the Capitol Building. Because the National Guard answers to Trump, they were not deployed on time even though they were requested six times. The lack of protection allowed thousands of people to enter the Capitol violently. This insurrection resulted in five deaths. It also proved that this was an event that Trump and other officials planned.

 

January 6 taught us a lesson: the importance of leadership. When a despot like Trump focuses on using dangerous rhetoric on his platform and incites violence, he becomes an imminent danger. It is worrisome how he does not take responsibility and persists in spreading false information about the elections and their legitimacy even though there is no proof of fraud. In an attempt to control the ongoing violence in the country, online platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook banned Trump for violating their policies.

 

The United States is undergoing vulnerable times and, as citizens of a free country, we must understand the meaning of accountability. Trump incited his followers to commit violence to sabotage Biden’s presidency certification. He tried to silence the voices of 80 million people who said, "no more!" to his tyranny. He must be held responsible for his unconstitutional acts and must understand that nobody is above the law. We must show everyone that when you commit a crime, there are consequences to your actions.

 

As for the Biden-Harris administration, these are challenging times of division. They will have to bring the country together. The new presidency will also have to guarantee the people its transparency and inclusion of everyone — regardless of their skin color, gender, religion, age, or sexuality. Because of the damages done by Trump's administration, Biden will have to be as honest as possible when sharing information with the media. Unfortunately, as long as Trump continues to feed his followers with hate, it won't be easy to keep the peace. We must hope that there is a peaceful transition of power and that no acts of violence are provoked.

 

Joe Biden was sworn in peacefully today despite circulating threats. This was a historic event as we welcomed the first president who received the greatest amount of popular votes in USA history and the first female vice president. The Inauguration brought individuals from both political parties and any resentment was left aside. For the first time in four years, America felt alive and full of hope, as Biden mentioned in his Inaugural speech, “Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: Bringing America together.”

 

As the new president, Biden will have to show the American people that this still is the land of the free and that he will do everything in his power to prevent any acts of violence. As Biden said in his acceptance speech, he will be the president of all Americans, not just the president of Democrats. He will represent every single citizen of the United States and will seek to bring back justice to the nation, holding those who are trying to destroy our democracy accountable for their actions. 

 

Although our nation is living through dark times, I hope that the United States will breathe in peace once again as the resilient country it's always been. Although Biden is not perfect and there are many issues he must work on, I am sure the country will be in better hands with him, Kamala Harris, and a dynamic and diverse Cabinet. The United States has a bright future ahead and will always rise above adversities, no matter what others do to try to tear it apart. As the inaugural poet Amanda Gorman told the nation today, in “The Hill We Climb,”