Statement of the Executive Council of the College Senate On the Insurgency at the Capitol on January 6

January 19, 2021

January 19, 2021 - The Santa Fe College Senate stands with President Paul Broadie in condemning the acts of violence perpetrated on January 6 at the heart of American democracy.

The Santa Fe College Senate upholds without hesitation the right to free speech and the right to peacefully protest. However, what transpired at the United States Capitol building was not simply protest; it was an insurrection against the foundation of American government – the right to vote and have those votes counted. These acts do not honor democracy and freedom of speech, but are an attempt to overthrow a fair election and to thwart the certified electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election. No matter the candidate nor the disappointment at the outcome, incitements of violent acts against political freedom have no place in a society that values discourse and freedom of expression.

The Executive Council of the Santa Fe College Senate cannot sit silently after witnessing the Capitol being ransacked and lawless acts of racism and brutality being committed in an attempt to stop the will of the majority and impede a peaceful transition of power. What happened at the Capitol is an assault on American democracy and we condemn it unequivocally.