Thread by @AndyKimNJ

After the photo of me cleaning the Capitol went viral, people kept saying to me the phrase “Look For The Helpers.” I grew up with Mister Rogers and felt comfort in those words. But now, 3 yrs after Jan 6, I have come to learn an entirely different lesson from this phrase… THREAD

This photo is 1st night I got home to my family after Jan 6. My 5 yr old asked me how I was doing and if something bad happened at work. My wife and I hadn’t told them anything yet but he must have heard something at school. So I turned to Mister Rogers: Look for the Helpers.2/11

I told my sons that there were incredible helpers at the Capitol who kept me and others safe. We had heroes. Like Officer Eugene Goodman who faced down the mob. Heroes like Officer Brian Sicknick who gave his life to defend democracy. 3/11

I told my boys about the men and women in uniform coming from all over the country to protect the Capitol. There were many helpers stepping up. My sons felt reassured that I would be safe at the Capitol and they didn’t have to worry. 4/11

But over the following weeks I started to think that it wasn’t enough that we felt safe. It didn’t get to the root of the question of why did all this violence and chaos happen to begin with. How did we get this this horrible point in the first place? 5/11

I stood on the floor of the House of Representatives and saw colleagues of mine who fomented the violence. That saw the desecration of the Capitol and still voted to try and overturn the election results. I began to ask myself, what is the opposite of helpers? 6/11

If Mister Rogers advises our kids to “Look For The Helpers,” what do we say about those who seek to do harm? What do we call them? The opposite of helpers? The breakers? If we “Look For The Helpers,” do we Look Out For The …”? 7/11

In this moment that we live in, it’s not enough for adults to “Look For The Helpers.” We must confront the question of why does our nation need so much help to start with? We are we living through crisis after crisis. This level of chaos is neither sustainable nor tolerable. 8/11

We must earnestly and honestly take on the question of why there are so many in our country that seek to hurt instead of help. We are becoming a nation addicted to anger that is facing a spiraling crisis of empathy. Also disinformation and polarization at extreme levels. 9/11

We are losing touch with the fact that we are part of something bigger than all of us. On Jan 6, we saw Americans fighting other Americans in the US Capitol. As we mark today, we need to commit ourselves to pulling our democracy out of this tailspin. 10/11

Mister Rogers was right to tell kids to Look For The Helpers. But we adults must do much more. We can’t assume someone will fight our fights for us and fix these problems. We should “Look to Be The Helpers.” It’s not easy. It takes courage. But it is what this moment demands. END

I’m going to do everything I can to step up to this moment. I’ve stepped up to run for Senate because too much is at stake.
Help me and chip in if you can. Thank you.
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