Pieces of Kings Mountain History
(January 13, 2021 Issue)
By Loretta Cozart
On Tuesday, I traveled to Washington DC to cover the Frally on the Mall, get pictures, and share that experience in an article for the Herald.
Before I share what I saw, let me state that I do not condone the actions of those who attacked the US Capitol. Their violent behavior resulted in the deaths of five Americans. In my opinion, the peaceful protest that occurred up to that point was overshadowed by those who took advantage of the situation to advance their own cause.
The people who simply gathered at the Mall in Washington had every right under the First Amendment to do so. The Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” But those who turned that peaceful protest violent should be held accountable for their actions.
As a reporter, I can only describe what I witnessed. There is much that happened that I could not see, including most of what was broadcast on National television in real time during the afternoon and evening, and in the days that followed.
I began my day at the Crystal City Metro in Arlington, Va. and took the subway into the city, exiting at Smithsonian Station. I arrived at the Mall shortly after 10 am. The weather was brisk, but not terribly cold. Vendors were interspersed throughout the area selling Trump memorabilia. People carried Trump flags, American flags and protest signs.
Speeches were slated to begin around 11 am, so I walked toward the Ellipse located just south of the South Lawn of the White House. I have been in Washington DC on several occasions and am familiar with the area. Many people were walking in that direction also, a sea of bodies moving as close to the Ellipse as possible.
The closest I could get to the Ellipse was just north of the Washington Monument. I looked around as others filed in. Over the course of 30-minutes every square inch of space was filled. People chatted in groups or struck-up conversation with others nearby. The atmosphere was calm and jovial. As people made their way from one place to another, they would often cut through groups, apologizing as they passed. Nobody got angry about it, because there were so many people there and very little room to get around. I have no idea the actual size of the crowd, but I would estimate 50,000 people, maybe more.
Eric Trump was the first to speak. He was on the Jumbotron located a good distance from where I stood, and I could clearly see that he was speaking. However, I could not hear a single word. People around me began chanting “Turn it up. Turn it up,” but we still couldn’t hear. When Rudy Giuliani spoke, I could hear only part of his speech. The sound cut in and out throughout his entire message.
As President Trump took the stage, it seemed that they had solved the sound issue. However a second speaker, experiencing a slight signal delay, caused an echoing effect that made it difficult to hear. Trump’s speech went on for quite a while and repeated points he had mentioned on several occasions. There was no new information being shared. The weather turned colder, so people began leaving. As the President wrapped up his speech, he told the crowd, “We fight like Hell and if you don’t fight like Hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” Then he encouraged them to walk with him down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol, but Trump did not join them.
At approximately 1:24 pm, Trump’s speech ended, and the crowd turned toward the Capitol. Most traveled along three routes to get there: Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Avenue, or through the Mall. People walked peacefully and chanted. Along the way, they acknowledged the police, and some stopped to shake hands and thank them. Through all of this, the protest remained peaceful.
Approaching the Capitol, I noticed that contractor’s fencing, like ones used at construction sites, had been knocked down. But there were a lot of people ahead of me and did not think much of it. There were no police, no National Guard, and no security directing people as they arrived at the west side of the Capitol just before 2 pm.
Looking around, I noticed people had climbed what appeared to be a camera tower constructed for the upcoming inauguration. I took a few photos and then heard what I thought might be flash bangs, sounds similar to mortar shots. Next to me, a man commented to a group nearby that if they wanted to go into to the Capitol, a side door was open. At that point, I decided it was time to leave.
As I walked away from the Capitol and down Independence Avenue, I attempted to text my family to let them know where I was and that I was leaving
the city. However, my cell phone did not work; I can only guess that signals were blocked due to securwity reasons. I had texted several people from the Mall earlier that day, only to discover those texts had not gone through either.
As I arrived at the United States Botanic Garden, I noticed that Independence Avenue was empty. In the distance, I heard sirens approaching and a black SUV, followed by two police cars, passed me at a high rate of speed. After they passed, I watched barricades pop-up from the roadway that spanned the entire width of the street, blocking the road to traffic.
When I finally arrived at the subway and found a seat, I heard a woman had been shot. It seemed the protest had turned violent and that had I left at the right time.
Until I arrived home, I had no idea the magnitude of what had happened at the Capitol on January 6. I am still stunned that I could have been so close to the situation and yet totally unaware of what was happening on the east side of the Capitol.
It is clear to me now just how much our nation needs healing. I pray that Congress and the new President realize this and works to unify our nation. Their actions now will set the tone of politics for decades to come. If they do not take steps now to bring the American people back together, I question what kind of America we will leave to our children.
By Loretta Cozart
On Tuesday, I traveled to Washington DC to cover the Frally on the Mall, get pictures, and share that experience in an article for the Herald.
Before I share what I saw, let me state that I do not condone the actions of those who attacked the US Capitol. Their violent behavior resulted in the deaths of five Americans. In my opinion, the peaceful protest that occurred up to that point was overshadowed by those who took advantage of the situation to advance their own cause.
The people who simply gathered at the Mall in Washington had every right under the First Amendment to do so. The Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” But those who turned that peaceful protest violent should be held accountable for their actions.
As a reporter, I can only describe what I witnessed. There is much that happened that I could not see, including most of what was broadcast on National television in real time during the afternoon and evening, and in the days that followed.
I began my day at the Crystal City Metro in Arlington, Va. and took the subway into the city, exiting at Smithsonian Station. I arrived at the Mall shortly after 10 am. The weather was brisk, but not terribly cold. Vendors were interspersed throughout the area selling Trump memorabilia. People carried Trump flags, American flags and protest signs.
Speeches were slated to begin around 11 am, so I walked toward the Ellipse located just south of the South Lawn of the White House. I have been in Washington DC on several occasions and am familiar with the area. Many people were walking in that direction also, a sea of bodies moving as close to the Ellipse as possible.
The closest I could get to the Ellipse was just north of the Washington Monument. I looked around as others filed in. Over the course of 30-minutes every square inch of space was filled. People chatted in groups or struck-up conversation with others nearby. The atmosphere was calm and jovial. As people made their way from one place to another, they would often cut through groups, apologizing as they passed. Nobody got angry about it, because there were so many people there and very little room to get around. I have no idea the actual size of the crowd, but I would estimate 50,000 people, maybe more.
Eric Trump was the first to speak. He was on the Jumbotron located a good distance from where I stood, and I could clearly see that he was speaking. However, I could not hear a single word. People around me began chanting “Turn it up. Turn it up,” but we still couldn’t hear. When Rudy Giuliani spoke, I could hear only part of his speech. The sound cut in and out throughout his entire message.
As President Trump took the stage, it seemed that they had solved the sound issue. However a second speaker, experiencing a slight signal delay, caused an echoing effect that made it difficult to hear. Trump’s speech went on for quite a while and repeated points he had mentioned on several occasions. There was no new information being shared. The weather turned colder, so people began leaving. As the President wrapped up his speech, he told the crowd, “We fight like Hell and if you don’t fight like Hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” Then he encouraged them to walk with him down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol, but Trump did not join them.
At approximately 1:24 pm, Trump’s speech ended, and the crowd turned toward the Capitol. Most traveled along three routes to get there: Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Avenue, or through the Mall. People walked peacefully and chanted. Along the way, they acknowledged the police, and some stopped to shake hands and thank them. Through all of this, the protest remained peaceful.
Approaching the Capitol, I noticed that contractor’s fencing, like ones used at construction sites, had been knocked down. But there were a lot of people ahead of me and did not think much of it. There were no police, no National Guard, and no security directing people as they arrived at the west side of the Capitol just before 2 pm.
Looking around, I noticed people had climbed what appeared to be a camera tower constructed for the upcoming inauguration. I took a few photos and then heard what I thought might be flash bangs, sounds similar to mortar shots. Next to me, a man commented to a group nearby that if they wanted to go into to the Capitol, a side door was open. At that point, I decided it was time to leave.
As I walked away from the Capitol and down Independence Avenue, I attempted to text my family to let them know where I was and that I was leaving
the city. However, my cell phone did not work; I can only guess that signals were blocked due to securwity reasons. I had texted several people from the Mall earlier that day, only to discover those texts had not gone through either.
As I arrived at the United States Botanic Garden, I noticed that Independence Avenue was empty. In the distance, I heard sirens approaching and a black SUV, followed by two police cars, passed me at a high rate of speed. After they passed, I watched barricades pop-up from the roadway that spanned the entire width of the street, blocking the road to traffic.
When I finally arrived at the subway and found a seat, I heard a woman had been shot. It seemed the protest had turned violent and that had I left at the right time.
Until I arrived home, I had no idea the magnitude of what had happened at the Capitol on January 6. I am still stunned that I could have been so close to the situation and yet totally unaware of what was happening on the east side of the Capitol.
It is clear to me now just how much our nation needs healing. I pray that Congress and the new President realize this and works to unify our nation. Their actions now will set the tone of politics for decades to come. If they do not take steps now to bring the American people back together, I question what kind of America we will leave to our children.
