The juxtaposition could not be more jarring.

On Jan. 6, 2021, for the first time in more than 230 years, an effort was made by force and violence to prevent the peaceful transfer of presidential power by preventing Vice President Mike Pence from counting state-certified electoral votes that had survived scores of judicial challenges. The novel and preposterous argument was made that the 12th Amendment entrusts to the vice president plenary power to decide the winner of the presidential election.

Approximately 1,580 of the rioters have either been charged, convicted or sentenced for federal crimes, including seditious conspiracy, assaulting the police or media, theft, obstruction or firearms violations. The lives of Pence and his family were put in danger. Donald Trump was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States by resorting to dishonesty, fraud or deceit to derail constitutional processes for electing the president. The Constitution hung by a thread.

Four years later, on Jan. 6, 2025, regular constitutional order was restored. Vice President Kamala Harris, in 30 minutes, counted state-certified electoral votes showing President-elect Trump prevailed by a margin of 312-226. Democrats did not challenge the tally. Harris did not claim constitutional power to decide the election. After Jan. 6, 2021, the Electoral Count Act had been amended expressly to withhold that power and to raise the number of members of Congress needed to object to a state’s electoral vote and force a debate from a single member to 20% of the House and Senate combined. Jan. 6, 2025, witnessed not the politics of retaliation but statesmanship of a high order. President-elect Trump, his MAGA following and the Republican Party should learn from that example.

One Jan. 6, 2021, was one too many. The nation is not likely to survive another. This understanding should weigh heavily on President Trump as he contemplates pardons for the Jan. 6 offenders. President Joe Biden’s unconscionable pardon of his son Hunter (prosecuted by his own administration) should not be Trump’s standard.

Grim facts cannot be whisked away. More than 140 police officers were injured in the attack on the Capitol. Participants carried weapons: firearms, chemical sprays, stun guns, axes, baseball bats, a sword and a hockey stick. A gallows and noose were erected and a crowd chanted, “Hang Mike Pence.”

Can police be expected to risk that last full measure of devotion for their county if they can be assaulted or killed with impunity?

Armstrong Williams (www.armstrongwilliams.com; @arightside) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist and owner of the broadcasting company, Howard Stirk Holdings. He is also part owner of The Baltimore Sun.