The Resolution after the Insurrection
On January 6th something shifted. Rioters stormed the capital in an attempt to stop the joint session of Congress from counting the electoral votes. People watched from home with rapt attention while rioters stormed the Capitol Building. Convinced that the election was stolen from former president Donald Trump, these agitators caused absolute chaos. Somehow the same crowd that called for law and order and vowed to “back the blue” suddenly took no issue with attacking police officers, vandalism, and theft.
The Fallout
This failed insurrection resulted in five deaths, multiple injuries, and a host of damage to the Capitol Building. But that’s not all. This event did a great deal of damage to the idea of a peaceful transfer of power in the United States. Images of rioters with their feet up on desks, a man wearing horns in the middle of the Capitol Building, and more streamed across people’s social media feeds. It felt like a pivotal moment. But despite all of the chaos this group caused, the transfer of power still went forward, and Joe Biden is now the 46th President of the United States.
Rendering of Trump supporters on January 6th at the Capitol
Even though they failed to stop the count, they did succeed in disrupting the meeting and sending elected officials into hiding. Panic buttons were ripped out of the walls. People called for the deaths of elected officials. They stole items from the offices of elected officials. A line in the sand was crossed. The impossible happened. So where do we go from here? How does the nation move forward?
Even though they failed to stop the count, they did succeed in disrupting the meeting
Handling
Well, let’s look at how this insurrection has been handled thus far.
Former President Trump made history as the first US President to be impeached twice, after being impeached a second time for inciting an insurrection. According to NPR “Approximately 140 members of law enforcement suffered injuries in the attack, including brain damage and crushed spinal discs.” Furthermore, the FBI stated, “the violence and destruction of property at the U.S. Capitol building on January 6 showed a blatant and appalling disregard for our institutions of government and the orderly administration of the democratic process.”
The National Narrative
Though hundreds of rioters have been arrested and the connection between Trump supporters and the insurrection is clear, there are still many right-leaning people who claim that the issue is overblown and that Trump supporters are not to blame for the riot at the Capitol. Log on to any social media site and you will find people blaming “ANTIFA.” Now, it is true that the court of public opinion does not determine everything, but the prevalence of this perspective is telling. The fact that there is even room for this kind of defense in the national conversation suggests that moving forward as a nation, even in the face of the “largest criminal investigation in American history,” is likely a distant dream.
The Involved
While those involved in this riot have been publicly condemned, there is strong pushback in the national conversation. Let’s look at Jenna Ryan. She was one of the rioters present on January 6th. Ryan declared that her white skin and blond hair would protect her from prosecution. She was convicted and sentenced. Her big lesson from this experience? “If you tweet, you can go to jail.” And she’s not alone in this delusion. Many of the people present on January 6th have insisted that they have done nothing wrong. In fact, the impetus for this event was to right a perceived wrong. So even those who were there and aren’t shifting blame may not see their wrongdoing and their supporters certainly don’t.
Ryan declared that her white skin and blond hair would protect her from prosecution. She was convicted and sentenced.
QAnon
In addition, the QAnon movement is still active. Although there are many factions, they generally believe that a government insider nicknamed “Q” is feeding the public secret information about a dangerously corrupt government. This conspiratorial group took a hit after the 2020 presidential election but is by no means disbanded. In fact, a fringe group of hundreds of Q followers descended upon Dallas to greet a deceased Kennedy who they expected to join Donald Trump as his running mate. QAnon is split into so many smaller groups that it’s challenging to view them, but it is clear that people are still mobilized and ready to act on the information they perceive as credible.
The Future
While some would argue that these are small fringe examples this is simply not the truth. The thought that these instances are exaggerated are more examples of a mainstream problem. As a nation, the United States has a problem acknowledging the severity and consequences of this insurrection attempt and we need a resolution. We can’t move forward if we are still tied up in knots over what happened, and that theme extends beyond this moment in US History.
Efforts to acknowledge how racism, genocide, and many other oppressive tactics have been used and continue to impact us today are met with denial and high emotion. Instead of figuring out how to tell the truth, we are still arguing about whether we should tell the truth at all. This attitude has impacted the attitudes that led to the insurrection and the way that we are dealing with the fallout.
As a nation, the United States has a problem acknowledging the severity and consequences of this insurrection attempt and we need a resolution.
The Narrative
If the narrative about January 6th is muddled with the perspectives of those who refused to acknowledge the events that led up to that day we are at a standstill as a nation. If there’s one thing Americans do well, it’s denial. Currently, Americans are debating whether to teach American students about systemic racism. Yet a multitude of citizens feel the effects of systemic racism simultaneously.
Conclusion
Until we can come to grips with the severity of what happened on January 6th, 2021, we won’t progress. All the ugly histories that predate that day in the United States is destined to be repeated. We aren’t at a standstill. Do we need a resolution after the insurrection? We are being pulled away from progress while being told nothing is wrong. Denial may assuage American fears, but it’s dangerous. Unfortunately, those snuggled into its deceptive comfort may soon find themselves struggling under its weight.
