THE HORROR OF THE CONFEDERATION FLAG IN THE US CAPITOLE

The horror of the Confederate flag in the US Capitole
The Boston Globe
Historians have noted that not even during the Civil War did this violent symbol of white power and oppression penetrate the halls of our Capitol. As white supremacists stormed our nation’s Capitol on Wednesday, the text messages and e-mails were coming so quickly that it was just easier to copy and paste a form response to nervous friends, family, and loved ones: “I’m home safe. Thank you for checking on me. This is horrifying.”
Like the rest of America, I watched the chaos unfold on TV. Although I was about a mile away from the Capitol building, I feared for the safety of my colleagues and friends who were in the complex, as well as the thousands of staff — especially the Black and brown support workers — who dutifully keep the sprawling Capitol complex humming every day.
We never pass without a smile and sometimes a gentle nod that signals, “I see you, brother, I see you, sister.” This exchange is spiritually familiar to every Black Hill staffer who is accustomed to going long stretches without seeing another Black face in their workday. I feared for them on Wednesday.
I’ve had the honor of working in the Senate for Senator Elizabeth Warren for over six years. I’m proud to be on her team. I’m proud to be Black in this space and in these halls of power. It carries a profound sense of duty and responsibility to my community. One that I carry close to my chest, because that’s how we work.