Florida Veterans for Common Sense (FLVCS) put up a billboard warning against those who would shred our Constitution. FLVCS believes our democracy is under a sustained attack and patriots need to stand up now to protect it. Our billboard is one step toward that goal.

The Insurrection

The attack on our Capitol on Jan 6, 2021, is the beginning of an existential threat to our democracy.

The attack confirmed that there are many Americans who do not respect the rule of law or our Constitutional processes. Would-be authoritarians persuade them with misinformation.

Based on the false belief that the presidential election was stolen, the insurrectionists on January 6^th attempted to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election. Their attempt tried to prevent Congress from certifying the election result, as required by law. They came close to success. Violence drove our Congress from its chambers. Members had to huddle in fear for their lives. It took until late into the night to restore order, finally allowing the vote to proceed. 

The goal of the insurrectionists was to shred the Constitution by preventing a process that animates it: certifying election results. The insurrectionists determination to set aside the election inspired them to chant “Hang Vice-President Pence.”  Because of quick-acting police officers, the insurrectionists failed in their efforts to catch Vice-President Pence.

As confirmed by their behavior on January 6^th, many of those participating in the January 6^th attack are violent extremists and are intensely passionate about achieving their goals.

Hold the insurrectionists accountable

In the opinion of FLVCS, all of those who broke the law on January 6^th should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and sentenced appropriately, if found guilty. As veterans, we laid our lives on the line for our country. We will speak out when we observe attempts to shred our Constitution right here in the homeland.

If someone encouraged violence to prevent the certification of the election, they should be charged with conspiring to overthrow the government. The law clearly prohibits anyone from willfully advocating the overthrow of the government by force, or who organizes persons to overthrow the government by force.

Republicans support the Big Lie

January 6^th was not the end of the efforts to shred our Constitution. Many still believe the lie that President Biden lost the election. Overturning the election is their goal. Worse, some percentage of the true believers will use violence and threats of violence to advance their misbelief.

Unfortunately, the Republican Party in general marches in lock step to support the lie that the election was stolen. Most of the Republican Party leadership refuses to support bringing the January 6^th insurrections to account, or even a full investigation. 

Groups involved with insurrection like the militia movement, Oath Keepers, have infiltrated the Republican Party. For example, ProPublica has identified 48 state and local government Republican officials who are Oath Keeper members. One oath keeper is running to become Arizona’s top election official. Some Republican Congressional staff and members participated in the planning of the insurrection.

Call to Action

As a non-partisan veterans’ group, we call on Republicans to heed the FLVCS billboard warning to protect the Constitution. In particular, we ask the Republican Party leadership to have the courage and patriotism to reject those in the Republican Party who support the January 6^th insurrectionists and the lie on which the attack on our Capitol was based. The Republican Party should repudiate those who continue to espouse misinformation. They should elect leaders who address serious policy issues, not false issues and lies such as the 2020 election being stolen.