True heroes saved the day at the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. We can never forget them

It was early summer 1974 when I arrived in Washington, D.C., to start my internship on Capitol Hill.

After a long drive in my dark green, used Chevy, I arrived at night and paused for a minute in the Capitol parking lot, staring up at our beautifully lit up building.

I thought of all who had walked and would be walking those halls. It was inspirational, to say the least.

Continuing on my way, I found the Foxhall Village neighborhood, where I had rented a “room” from two Georgetown pre-med students who were themselves renting the house. That room was a space with a shower curtain pulled in front of the stairwell in an unfinished concrete basement. The basement was filled with junk. Behind the shower curtain were a cot, a bureau and a mirror.

To me, none of this mattered. Democracy was under attack, and I was there to do my part, whatever that was.

That Monday, I began my job, time-stamping envelopes in the office of one of the senators from my home state. I was in good company. Each year, hundreds of young people begin their careers as congressional interns. Many go on to become leaders in business, journalism, education, politics and even Hollywood. Quite a few will return to their communities and commit their lives to pubic service.

Bill Gates, Alec Baldwin and Lyndon Johnson are but three of the tens of thousands whose lives were shaped by their experiences working in Washington as young people.

But this internship was not the first time I had been to the Capitol, or met this man who was now our senator. A decade before, our teacher loaded us all on the train to go to Washington to meet him, then as our U.S. representative. He stopped his busy schedule to talk to us and tell us what a congressman did. He was tall, perfectly dressed, articulate and seemed to genuinely care about our questions — a role model for all of us.

That day, we toured the Capitol, led by an intern from the congressman’s staff. We marveled at everything about it, rode the little train, ate in the lunchroom and sat briefly in the House gallery to watch the proceedings. It was majestic.

We, of course, were not alone. There are dozens of programs that give students and their teachers a glimpse of what goes on at the Capitol. Just one of these — the Close Up Foundation, which gives students and their teachers a one-week immersion into democracy and Washington ways — has brought more than 900,000 students and their teachers from all over the country to the Capitol since 1971.

To the millions who have walked those halls, stood on those steps, found the echo in statuary hall, Jan. 6 this year was nothing less than a home invasion.

It was personal, and terrifying.

Many people were injured and several died defending our Capitol. The scars on those were there that day will last a long time. Just a few days ago, another Capitol police officer was killed in the line of duty.

Like Watergate or the burning of our Capitol during the battle of 1812, this dark chapter in American history should never be forgotten, and it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure the events of Jan. 6 are remembered — forever.

The people who saved the day on Jan 6 are no less heroes than those who rowed Washington across the river in Trenton that Christmas night, or those who landed at Normandy, or Sally Ride, Nathan Hale or so many other ordinary people.

Jan. 6 and its heroes must now be made a permanent part of our lore. A permanent exhibit and audio tour should be organized by the Capitol Visitor Center. An “insurrection tour” should be created for posterity.

Every year, Jan. 6 should be a celebration of the lives and work of these heroes. Their families should fill the gallery for new presidents’ inaugural addresses. Scholarships should be established.

All of us here in this country are so very proud of all you who protected democracy at the Capitol. Thank you for saving far more than just the day.