No Time for Pot-Holes and Height Limits During National Security Crisis – Caused by Trump’s Insurrection

Wed., Jan. 6, 2021. Trump supporters at San Diego Co. Admin building. Photo by Linda Taggart.

By Frank Gormlie

This is not news: the entire country is reeling from Trump’s insurrection attempt, and we’re in a very serious national security crisis as long as he’s in the White House.

The OB Rag believes this is such a serious crisis that we will refrain from publishing our usual array of articles – until the crisis has been resolved. We will continue, however, to post articles about this dark moment.

So, this is not a time for pot-holes and height limits. We cannot in good conscience pretend that everything is back to normal – and be focused on the local issues that usually take our attention. “Pot-holes” are synonymous with those ubiquitous, nagging problems that we wish government would fix. Height limits are damn important – but mean nothing if our federal government is attacked.

The Rag will continue to remind and inform our readers about this still evolving crisis. It’s not over yet. Armed white nationalists are still planning on more violence later this month – and not just at the Capitol on January 20 for Joe Biden’s inauguration.

There is some good news: there is a dramatic and deep revulsion going on across the nation against Trump, his acolytes, his fellow insurrectionists, his enablers in Congress and around the country.

This is reflected in how the woman killed during the Capitol coup attempt has been looked upon back here in San Diego and Ocean Beach – where she had resided for 3 years. And it’s reflected in the push-back against local San Diegans who attended the DC Trump rally, march and assault on our democracy.

Darrell Issa, just elected to the 50th Congressional District, was one of the 147 Republican representatives who voted not to count the legal electors last Wednesday and one of those who provided the rationale for the rioters. Just a handful of hours after rioters had entered the sacred chambers of self-government, Issa got up and voted along with Hawley and Cruz to overturn a free and fair election. Issa must be held accountable.

Others who attended the DC rally – like prominent members of the east county “defense” group formed after the La Mesa riot – also need to be held accountable.

Did you know that on the same day as the riot, there were Trump supporters massed at the San Diego County Administration building? Just this past weekend, Trump supporters clashed with counter-demonstrations in Pacific Beach, and police arrested at least 3 people.

Which all means, there are Trump supporters who still are vocal and visible – they also need to be held accountable – and peaceful progressives need to keep eyes on their public protests.

Some other local representatives have spoken out against Trump and the insurrection and have called for his impeachment: Sara Jacobs and Juan Vargas.

As Congress figures out how to respond to this emergency, we, the citizens, also need to figure out our response. But, what’s clear, is that this is not a time for pot-holes and height limits. This is not a time for us to be complacent and act like just because we’re not in DC it’s okay to be “normal.” It’s not. The crisis is not over.