Back to photos and such tomorrow…
DC has cameras everywhere and many of the building have equipment that mimics a cell tower, so that your phone will ping it and security will know exactly who is where in their building. Every airport has cameras everywhere and police have easy access to flight um… Brain freeze can’t remember the word for it… But, law enforcement can see who was on what flight or who has a flight booked. Also, hotel registrations are easy to see, and if law enforcement is looking to charge you or has charged you they’re going to get your credit/debit card data.
Add to the above that people who stormed the capitol didn’t have maps of the building and didn’t have clear objectives once they were in the building. And that’s why I lean more towards Wednesday being more temper tantrum than coup. Although, Wednesday’s actions were definitely both.
Or maybe I’m wrong. Maybe people really are just that stupid, and it was the worlds worst coup attempt. But, I can’t help but think that if this was more coup than temper tantrum people would have been more sub-rosa: turned their phones off, tried to avoid or disable cameras, not flown in and out of DC, payed cash if they did need to buy something, and wouldn’t stay in local hotels or stick around after the event and so on. And they would have known the layout of the building or at least had maps and had objectives once inside the building.
Which isn’t to say people shouldn’t be held accountable. If you stormed into the Capitol, fought with cops, and smeared feces on the walls of a building that serves as a symbol of freedom and democracy for the entire world you should catch a serious charge. The people that organized and promoted this, regardless of wether they did so as a temper tantrum or coup, should get kicked out of government/charged with serious crimes as well. But, we need to have some perspective and moderation. The people that walked in after the doors were breached, wandered around a bit and left should pickup something minimal, something that, assuming they don’t reoffend, can be scrubbed from their record in a few years, and should be allowed to get on with their lives.
The Lazy Reconnoiter 