LGBTQ+ rights are human rights. As we celebrate this month, we won’t rest until full equality for LGBTQ+ Americans is finally achieved and codified into law. The Senate must pass the Equality Act.

What we witnessed yesterday was not dissent — it was disorder. They weren’t protestors — they were rioters, insurrectionists, and domestic terrorists. I wish we could say we couldn’t see it coming, but that isn’t true. We could.

We can save 60,000-100,000 lives in the weeks and months ahead if we step up together. Wear a mask. Stay socially distanced. Avoid large indoor gatherings. Each of us has a duty to do what we can to protect ourselves, our families, and our fellow Americans.

As I said throughout the campaign: I will be a president for all Americans. I will work just as hard for those of you who didn’t vote for me as I will for those who did.

In America, politicians don’t take power — the people grant it to them. The flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago. And we now know that nothing — not even a pandemic or an abuse of power — can extinguish that flame.

My dad used to say, “Joey, I don’t expect the government to solve my problems. But I expect it to understand my problems.” Folks out there aren’t looking for a handout — they just need help. They’re in trouble through no fault of their own, and they need us to understand.