"Caught up in the moment..."

[EarthFirst]

This tragic; deadly assault on The Capitol wasn't an event that developed organically as events unfolded on the ground.

This had been planned in advance; nearly a month prior.

Premeditated is another word.

"Caught up in the moment..." is hardly a defense of an indefensible action.

It's infuriating to watch this defense presented to the American people by individuals who chose sedition/insurrection as they now beg for forgiveness.

[PJMcK]

1. Hang the traitors

I find the death penalty abhorrent yet these criminal and seditionist would destroy our country!

There must be severe consequences for the attempt to overthrow our government.

[OLDMDDEM]

2. I think

Sitting in a prison for many years is fair. It gives them time to think about what they did.

[PJMcK]

4. Yeah, I know

I really don't want to execute people. I'm just so mad that these cretins are willing to destroy our country for Trump, of all people!

[OLDMDDEM]

7. Just imagine

if you saw a relative of yours on television at the capitol last Wednesday. Fortunately, none of mine were there as we are mainly lefties. How would you feel about that?

[PJMcK]

9. I've cut ties with former friends and a few relatives because of Trump

Even if they were my cousins or siblings, the actions the seditionists took against our nation are unforgivable.

I'm reminded of how families were riven during the Civil War. Much the same has happened during the era of Trump.

Years ago, I dated a woman and we had talked of marriage before we decided to just be friends. When I had dinner with her a month before the 2016 election, she told me she was going to vote for Trump because she "had always been a conservative." That was it for me and I ended our friendship after that dinner. If those were her values, I couldn't respect her any longer.

I had a similar experience with a cousin with whom I had been friends since childhood.

There are some things that I just cannot ignore or forget. Attempting to destroy our nation is a big one.

[OLDMDDEM]

11. Sadly

You did the right thing. I haven't had to cross that bridge yet. I know it is coming.

[SheltieLover]

5. Agreed!

[Cirque du So-What]

3. I don't discount the possibility that most participants got caught up in the moment

That’s textbook mob mentality. I believe those who planned this insurrection relied heavily on this ‘caught up in the moment’ phenomenon and, true to form, it worked in their favor. Throngs of yahoos mugging for the camera adds to overall chaos and provides cover for the professionals to carry out their dirty work.

[SheltieLover]

6. True, but no sympathy here

Do the crime, be willing to do the time!

[Cirque du So-What]

8. Oh, no sympathy here

It goes a long way toward understanding and explaining the events of that day, however. Second-degree murder is, by definition, ‘getting caught up in the moment.’

[SheltieLover]

10. But this was premeditated.

Perhaps the smoke screen distractors had no idea what was really going on, mut murder 1 carries harsher penalties.

They deserve the most punishment possible imho.

[Cirque du So-What]

12. I was just using murder in the 2nd as an example

in case anyone tries to use ‘caught up in the moment’ as a legal defense.