At the time, I thought shooting all the people who invaded the Capitol Building on January 6 was the correct response¹. In prior times, it’s what would’ve been done to a hostile force attempting to violently take over the most important government building in the country. That level of fierce response would’ve been justified and unquestionably correct².

But I was wrong about that. Allowing the mob to beclown themselves as they did was far better. There wasn’t a martyrdom event, therefore. They just looked like fools and dimwits, dressed in doofy clothes, stealing laptops and putting their feet up on desks. My way, though the “correct” response, would’ve been hugely counterproductive to the republic as a whole. The Jan. 6 rioters lost vastly more support with how stupid they looked and that was probably worth allowing them all not to get peppered with rounds from MP5s.

So I was wrong. It does happen, though not often. And I admit it when I am.

1. Yes, I know that one of them was shot and killed.
2. Shooting them till they surrendered or were repulsed, obviously. I am not advocating for summary executions.