Re: Washington Post columnist Marc A. Thiessen’s Jan. 15 commentary (“Democrats liked storming capitols before they opposed it,” Page A11):

There is no comparison between the U.S. Capitol attack and the Wisconsin teachers strike in 2011 (the “takeover” Mr. Thiessen was referring to in his commentary). In Wisconsin, there was no scaling walls, attacking police officers and breaking windows, and there were no weapons, ranging from zip ties to pipe bombs and all of the rest of what was carried on the D.C. rioters’ persons. There were no military formations exhibited by the protesters in Madison, Wisconsin.

There is a huge difference between “peaceful protests” and an attempted takeover of the government. Without peaceful protests, many of us would not have the right to vote, much less to write this letter! Peaceful protests have brought about needed change. Maine people are protesting the Central Maine Power corridor. Whether we agree or not, people can express their concerns; their outcry can succeed in bringing about change – or not.

But what we saw in D.C. was in no way an accurate comparison to the teachers in Wisconsin. Go online and look at the hundreds of photos, if not more, of that event. You won’t see in that action what we saw on Jan. 6.

Elizabeth O’Connor
Springvale