Like most of my fellow conservatives, I was appalled by what happened at the Capitol last week and particularly saddened by the loss of life that took place. Officer Brian Sicknick of the U.S. Capitol Police was heroically lost in the line of duty. The authorities need to investigate how the storming of the Capitol happened and each and every individual who was involved.
Liberals, however, have gone as far as to suggest that we should call these individuals “terrorists” and apply post-Sept. 11, anti-terrorism strategies to tackle these troublemakers because that is what would happen to nonwhite groups. Furthermore, it is greatly terrifying for this to lead to the deplatforming from social media of President Trump and other conservative voices. Have we forgotten so soon that restricting speech led to the current divisions in our country?
Without due process, some Democrats (including members of Congress) are calling on anyone who was allegedly involved in the Capitol riot to be put on the extra-judicial No-Fly List, with no option of redress. Not only is the list abhorrent, but it is extremely dangerous to the idea of racial equity.
The solution is not to attack the MAGA crowd with the same draconian policies that ultimately brought negative consequences on brown and black communities. We should be seeking to abolish the use of such policies universally, regardless of their application. Any list or ban should be able to be challenged in a fair society.
The basic foundations of our republic are based upon the ability to engage in and debate with ideas that we may vehemently disagree with, not casting people aside or nixing due process just because of their beliefs.
Even Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny shared tweets stating that “the decision to ban Trump was based on emotions and personal political preferences.”
Many of us are scared by what lies ahead in the Biden administration as legitimate voices of debate and concern are silenced. The values of the most powerful corporations in the country are aligning with the most powerful politicians in the country, and conservatives are their target. Far from the violent tactics of the Capitol rioters, the conservative solution is to find new ways to make our voices heard.
Sabtain Ali works across U.S. and Pakistani politics. He is a former precinct-committeeman of the Seminole County, Florida, GOP and supporter of the Pakistani Muslim League (Noon). He resides in Los Angeles, California; Hamilton, Ontario; and Lahore, Pakistan.
