Two Americans living in Maple Ridge expressed dismay at the actions of rioters in their former home’s capital Wednesday.
Like many, they were going about their daily lives when they heard about thousands of people storming the Capitol Building in an attempt to reverse the results of Joe Biden’s election win last Wednesday.
Jimi Dali, who moved to Maple Ridge from Virginia in 2002, said he lived 15 minutes away from the Pentagon during the September 11 attacks.
He pointed out the two incidents were similarly surreal.
“These riots reminded me of how I felt on 9/11,” he said, “The only difference was, I wasn’t fearing for my own life.”
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Dali, who is black, said the incident was a poster for white privilege.
“It’s a real thing,” he insisted.
“The woman who was killed – unfortunately – she was not scared. It didn’t seem like any of those people who went into that building were scared.
“That’s white privilege. It’s a different way of being raised and seeing the world.
“I’m not saying it’s their fault for thinking that way, but I know nobody who looks like me could have done that without being scared.”
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Kyle Stovall moved to Maple Ridge from Georgia seven years ago.
He said he was ashamed to see citizens of the United States behaving in such a manner.
“I love my country, and I’m proud of where I’m from, but I’m embarrassed at the way people from my country have been acting for the last four years, and yesterday was really rough for me,” he said.
On top of being embarrassed Stovall expressed dismay.
“Over the past few years living in Canada, I feel like I get to see American politics from the outside, versus being stuck in a bubble.
“Growing up in Georgia, I didn’t realize people were like that. So I feel sad that this is not the country I remember growing up in.”
Stovall said he tries to stay hopeful that things will change, and get better in the long run, but he is also realistic.
“Between Trump and what’s going on with the coronavirus, I feel like a lot of people are behaving like petulant little children.”
ronan.p.odoherty@blackpress.ca
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