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One woman was shot and killed by a Capital Police officer as she attempted to jump through broken glass of the entry doors that she and two or three others smashed on Wednesday. Her name was Ashli Babbitt, 35-year-old Air Force veteran. Previous to this fateful event, she retweeted messages calling for Vice President Pence to resign, even to be charged with treason. In one of her final posts, Babbitt wrote this: “Nothing will stop us. They can try and try but the storm is here and it’s descending upon DC in less than 24 hours…dark to light.”

A few days earlier Pastor Raphael Warnock was elected the first black Georgia senator. Pastor Warnock preaches in the same pulpit as Martin Luther King preached in at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, and now he is going to Washington, D.C.

Ashli Babbitt died driven by a lie of election corruption incessantly promulgated by Trump and his supporters. MLK died as he embraced the truth of freedom and justice for all, civil rights for every American. His death laid the groundwork for Pastor Warnock to join the ranks of the Senate.

I pray we pursue the cause of truth. The unprecedented insurrection of people breaking and smashing into the halls of the Capitol is not a manifestation of truth but a violent action born of a lie. The roots of truth are trust, authenticity, verification, accountability, substantiated facts, honesty, respect and love.

Joel B. Erickson

Albert Lea