On the street, opinions run the gamut on capitol mob
Jacob Carpenter of Kalispell, interviewed after shopping at Canyon Food in Hungry Horse, gave his opinion on protestors storming the capitol building last week. (Teresa Byrd/Hungry Horse News)
Local folks had a wide variety of opinions on the mob that stormed the nation’s capitol last week, protesting the election after hearing a speech from President Donald Trump moments before.
“Why do it 15 days before his presidency ends?” said Bobbi Cortez from Kalispell. “That’s my first question. Like, what’s the point at this rate? And I don’t think it was very effective either, I mean Biden was still going to be president. I don’t know what they expected out of it.”
“I thought it seemed pretty messed up, and pretty illogical, and silly,” said Sam “Treeman” Wagner of West Glacier.
Jacob Carpenter from Kalispell viewed it differently.
“I think it’s great,” said Carpenter. “Because for so long we’ve been kind of governed under an iron fist more or less, as in, they [the Democratic party] have been fear-mongering for far too long now. And I think it’s just about time that we decide to fix things, because things are just a little bit messed up right now. … It’s supposed to be for the people, by the people, but it’s for the government, by the government.”
“Well, I think they’re blowing it out of proportion,” said Mike Berger of Columbia Falls in reference to the media coverage of last week’s events. “Because when Trump got elected, all them Democrats ransacked places and tore [stuff] up and they didn’t make a hairy deal over that. And I think the election was just the phoniest pile of [stuff] I’ve ever seen in my entire life. It’s obvious the Democrats have been planning this for years in my opinion. There’s overwhelming evidence of voter fraud, on camera, on pictures. Testimony, and them piece of [stuff] Supreme Courts won’t do nothing about it. I’m very [angry].”
It is important to note that there has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud that would have tipped the election in favor of President Trump.
”It shouldn’t have happened. I mean, I wouldn’t have minded seeing Trump in there for another term, but there’s no reason to act like a bunch of high school kids. I mean, really? You’re going to vandalize a historic building that’s been there forever? I don’t think it was— politically it was incorrect. Personally I didn’t think it was right. I mean, I really, honestly don’t think— why is there a Republican Party and a Democratic party? Why can’t we just have an American civilization, you know, one people. Everybody just get along. It’s pretty simple,” Richard Bollman from Columbia Falls said.