Yesterday, the US Senate, once again, acquitted former President 45 (because I will not say his name) for inciting an insurrection on our nation's capital on January 6th. Social media is full of pundits and people voicing their takes on why and how this has happened AGAIN, and I find myself resisting the urge to ruminate on this moment. Anyone who didn't know that he would be acquitted was kidding themselves. This was white supremacy on trial, and the white members of this country who are in power are not ready to relinquish that power and the white people of this country are not ready yet either... and that is where my focus rests.
Someone wise said lessons present themselves until you learn them. Whiteness in this country has not learned our lesson yet, so it will continue to present itself at the expense of Black and Brown bodies. Republican members of the Senate had an opportunity to squash the white supremacist leader yesterday, and they chose not to do it. They chose to hide behind their version of a technicality that didn't exist because it was easier than renouncing their way of life that keeps them in power. The universe even crafted an experience that put those very same white Senators in a dangerous situation to wake them up, and yet, they continue to deflect and pretend like 45 didn't send a mob to kill them as they sat in their seats. It wasn't enough for them to learn. It will fall to us, the voters, to stay involved and look to the elections in 2022 and 2024 to let them know, they can be as racist as they want, they just can't hold a seat in the US Senate, making decisions that affect Black and Brown people, while they are racist.