Most of Trump's rallies happened before Election Day 2020. While Trump talked often about a rigged election before then, things changed when the votes were counted and Biden won. Many who believed the Trump story grew angry when the networks called it for Biden. They grew more angry when states certified the election results. Those who stormed the Capital acted on that anger as Congress began its work to certify the Electoral College vote.
Why was there not widespread violence at previous rallies? At previous rallies, there was no conflict between election stories (Biden won, Trump won), and at previous rallies, Trump supporters did not see people proclaiming Biden as the president-elect on his way to the White House, when they wanted to believe Trump actually won.
This is really difficult for the Trump true believers. They want to believe Trump won. They want to believe Trump would somehow come up with a masterful way to hold the White House after Inauguration Day. But that's not how it's playing out. Every passing day shows Biden moving closer to the Oval Office. But in many MAGA minds, that's not how it should be. Trump won, they believe. And it's frustrating -- angering -- seeing Biden act as if he won the election and government officials going along to seat him on 1/20.
Some of these people are our friends and neighbors. We work with them. We drive on the same streets. We shop in the same grocery stores. As the nation moves in a direction they dislike, I am mindful of their pain. I believe time heals all wounds. I trust that with the passage of time, they will feel better, even if the election result is not to their liking.
