Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I think people who found out about it after it occurred are having a different reaction than those of us who watched it all live. DH and I watched everything from 2 pm on - and there was a long stretch where it seemed it would be a successful coup. We were watching I believe cnn and the newscaster started to cry on air (they cut away from her when she did).

I recognize I would have a different reaction if we hadn’t watched it all unfold, not knowing how it would end. Also, we don’t work on the hill but like many in DC have so many friends and colleagues who do.

Regardless, I’m attempting to make this not about the attack itself, as what’s hurtful is that they didn’t reply - not that they didn’t preemptively contact me.

I think I’m not melodramatic and if anything my therapist (when I used to see a therapist, before covid) would say I should be more open with my feelings to have more authentic relationships. So, that’s what I was trying to do here; and i didn’t get any response.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly--I would have rolled my eyes and thought you were being over dramatic. That said--I would have responded even if I thought you were over-reacting. I'm sorry they blew you off.
Are you normally close and this was a one time thing? Are they normally dismissive? Do you send them a lot of over-wrought texts and they're tired of it? It's hard to know how to feel without more context.

(But this was nothing like 9/11. That comparison is ludicrous.)

Anonymous wrote:My dad (decorated Vietnam veteran, did riot duty in DC in '68) called me practically in tears-for the state of our country and because I'm a progressive organizer and he was probably afraid I was out the streets. I think it is strange, OP, that they would at least respond with a "that sounds scary, thinking of you." This year has been really tough and I know I haven't always responded to people the way I should have.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similar experience, and my family members live in other large cities on the East coast. Strangely they told me they were glued to the tv all day watching events unfold but seemed to have no thoughts or caring that people living in DC would be frightened and affected by this. I don’t get it. They actually said to me “But you don’t live near Capitol Hill.” I checked on everyone I knew in NYC on 9/11. Not just people in the World Trade Center.

Wait... haven’t read the whole thread but... did you just compare Wednesday’s to the 9/11?

This is why trump won and you don’t even see it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sisters both live on different continents, and I live in DC. When the events were unfolding on Jan 6th, I texted them (our usual way of contacting each other, given the time difference) in a panic with my concerns over what was happening. I texted several times between 2 and 6 pm our time that day, and again the next day reiterating that things were crazy, it get scary, etc.

Neither of them replied to me. I never expect an immediate reply, but given the circumstances, and that it was all over the news, I thought they’d respond within a couple of days. Finally yesterday I said something to them along the lines of, I understand your not replying doesn’t mean you don’t care, but it does make me sad. I was hoping to connect with you over this, you are American, etc. (both are very liberal btw)

They responded something like, sorry, we’re just busy.

I’m upset. I’m disappointed. Putting aside whether you think it’s “reasonable” for someone in my position to be scared by Wednesdays events, I reached out to them and heard nothing back. Honesty even if I hadn’t reached out to them first I would have thought they’d have heard the news and reached out to me.

Am I crazy to be hurt here?

No. Your sisters are kind of jerks. You were scared. You asked for connection to help you get through something that was scary. Your sisters ignored you. They didn't care enough to even send a 5 second text. They are the assholes here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP do you live in the city of DC itself, or like...Reston?

This is so obnoxious. Like people who live in Reston can’t be scared about what’s happening to our democracy?

Anonymous wrote:Similar experience, and my family members live in other large cities on the East coast. Strangely they told me they were glued to the tv all day watching events unfold but seemed to have no thoughts or caring that people living in DC would be frightened and affected by this. I don’t get it. They actually said to me “But you don’t live near Capitol Hill.” I checked on everyone I knew in NYC on 9/11. Not just people in the World Trade Center.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just got back from 3 weeks of travel plus tons of office work plus virtual school for the kids. After watching BLM vandalism, curfews broken, arson, looting, squatting and various state houses and US capital infiltrated with protestors over the years trying to stop legislation, I am desensitized.

Plus mass media wasn’t quantifying the crowd outside (usually means smallish) or inside the Capitol (“dozens” they admitted 48 hours later). They were in at 2:15 and cleared by 3:30. Loved the overly dramatic photos of the evacuation protocol and smoke canister “explosions”. Those will get some mileage.

So the unhinged emails from around the states, mainly from leftist friends or relatives were ignored. In fact, many of them still owe us a note that they received their Hannakuh card or present.

What does this have to do with anything? Sounds like many people, minus the irresponsible travel. Also, no one is obligated to respond to your Hanukkah card. “Leftist” friends? Wonder if they’d still be your friends if they knew that’s how you referred to them. You sound like a real bitch.