Former President of the United States, Barack Obama, in
commemoration of the 6th of January 2021 Capitol attack, has warned that the
country’s democracy is at great risk.
In a statement released via his social media pages on
Thursday, Obama reminisced on the events of 6th of January 2021, where
supporters of the immediate past President, Donald Trump, stormed the United
States Capitol complex in protest of the 2020 election results.
The riot, which led to several deaths and left many injured,
disrupted the joint session of US Congress to count electoral votes that would
formalise the victory of the current President, Joe Biden.
In his statement, Obama said last year’s attack on the
Capitol has exposed the fragility of “the American experiment in democracy”.
“And while the broken windows have been repaired and many of
the rioters have been brought to justice, the truth is that our democracy is at
greater risk today than it was back then.
“Although initially rejected by many Republicans, the claims
that fanned the flames of violence on January 6th have since been embraced by a
sizeable portion of voters and elected officials – many of whom know better.
“State legislatures across the country have not only made it
harder to vote, but some have tried to assert power over core election
processes including the ability to certify election results.
“And those remaining Republican officials and thought
leaders who have courageously stood their ground and rejected such
anti-democratic efforts have been ostracized, primaried, and driven from the
party,” he said.
Describing Americans as defenders of democracy, the former
President opined that it was impossible for the country to continue to serve
that role when the Republican party is actively undermining America’s democracy
itself.
“We can’t set an example when our own leaders are willing to
fabricate lies and cast doubt on the results of free and fair elections. Our
system of government has never been automatic.
“If we want our children to grow up in a true democracy –
not just one with elections, but one where every voice matters and every vote
counts – we need to nurture and protect it.
“Today, that responsibility falls to all of us. And on this
anniversary, nothing is more important,” he wrote.
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