The following was submitted by Newtown Athletic Club owner Jim Worthington, who traveled to Washington D.C. on Jan. 6 with members of the group People4Trump:
“I let this sit for a few days while taking in all the rhetoric on social media, 80% of which was horrifyingly negative, calling our group domestic terrorists for taking a bus trip to Washington D.C. on Jan. 6 to support the President. This is the truth of the matter. The bus group consisted of nearly 200 individuals, many of whom traveled here from other states – 65% of whom were women ranging in age from 35 to 75 years. These folks are your neighbors, co-workers, supporters of your businesses and just plain Americans like all of you. Each of these individuals paid for their own bus ticket. They left at 5:30 a.m. in the morning and got back on their bus in Washington D.C. at 3:30 p.m. to begin the trip home. Not one of them was near the Capitol entrance when the rioting took place nor were most of them aware of any activities at the Capitol until after they got on the bus.
“All of them went with the hope of hearing their President speak at the White House one last time and showing Congress that they support fair elections. These folks are not seditionists, nor do they break the law. These good folks do not deserve the vitriol and mischaracterizations they have been receiving from not only those on social media but also from political representatives who voiced disappointment in the Bucks County residents who went to Washington D.C. who were expressing their right as an American to have their voice in peaceful protest. There were many buses that went from Bucks County and none of the participants deserve that vote of disappointment.
“The responsibility for the protest not remaining peaceful falls directly on to the individuals who penetrated the sacred walls of the Capitol. They broke the law, not your fellow Bucks Countians. Flip this around, would any of you who pointed a finger want to be accused of something you did not do and even more something you would not do as you believe it is wrong?
“We stand up for them, that is what this country is built upon, respect. We don’t have to agree, but we sure do have to respect one another and the law.
“If the law is broken, and it was by some, then those who broke it are to bear the blame, not those who stood for their beliefs lawfully and peacefully.
“Our individual freedoms will be stolen if we succumb to this divisive name calling and blaming.
“I am sure even this explanation will be lambasted and used against me personally. For some hate is the only response they can muster. Even knowing that, it’s my obligation to set the record straight and defend these good Americans from Bucks County who participated.”
