On January 6, 2021, a day that was supposed to be as routine as the Monday after a weekend of binge drinking for some people, an embarrassing display of ignorance and hubris took place in Washington D.C. A group of far-right protesters-turned-rioters stormed into the nation’s capital and tried to prevent a democratically elected president from being certified as the legitimate winner of a fair and properly conducted election.
Setting aside the ridiculousness of how some of these people appeared, their display of barbarism and complete disregard for the very system they claim to uphold was far more shameful. They desecrated the capitol by fighting with police, entering private offices, vandalizing them and the building itself. These individuals were instigated by an outgoing president who is as much a sore loser as he is a liar and a criminal.
This outgoing president, along with his insidious and hateful family as well as supporting Republican senators and representatives, have spread propaganda about an unfair election won by sinister means- means which the so-called attorneys for the outgoing president could not argue for in the courts they were presented in. It wasn’t because they weren’t given the chance because they were. It was because their arguments were unfocused and contradictory.
This outgoing president has presented his lies from the start, claiming that elections in the United States were not fair. Before this person (if you can call him that) became president, he whined about rigged elections long before he made it the anthem of him and his followers. His complaints, however, were never backed by any hard and evidential facts but only speculation and unproven claims (I’m sorry, but affidavits hardly count as evidence).
The outgoing president also persisted claims made by groups with faceless leaders which his supporters fully swallowed. These claims fueled their passions which made them more resilient and determined to attempt their coup. The claims are largely unsubstantiated, biased, and loaded with fear-based propaganda aimed at making the outgoing president’s supporters insecure about their safety and their “freedom”- a common and effective way to get “patriots” riled up.
People in conspiracy circles select their information sources in the same way supporters of the outgoing president select theirs- it’s always about what satisfies their beliefs. They twist and turn the meaning of news to justify their one-sided view of the world. It’s hearsay based on what they’ve never seen, experienced, or have any direct technical knowledge of. Then they go around with slogans, bumper stickers, flags, and any other paraphernalia expecting to be taken seriously.
News sites and other sources that are popular with conspiracy theorists always purport to have experts or witnesses cited in their reports. That or they assert their claims based once again on hearsay, disproven documents, unsupported findings, or any other source they present as legitimate. They attack what they call mainstream news for not following or discrediting their findings and then claim their own legitimacy without a substantial backing of their findings. Meaning, they stand for themselves and support their findings on their own without any other legitimate support. That has the potential to create serious harm to the general public, especially when dealing with matters of health, money, and security.
The sentiments which led to what happened on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021 had been stewing for some time now. What finally pushed it was instigation based on belief in unproven claims. Despite the clear evidence which has been presented and discussed at length by those who work or have worked directly in the process, are familiar with the legal aspects of it (not just by title but with a proven track record of direct and successful involvement), and have worked with the necessary tools related to the process, believers of conspiracies and unsubstantiated claims continue to twist and deny for the sake of not giving into what is clearly a disparagement of their own beliefs and practices.
Wednesday’s events also serve as a warning to the public about what happens when individuals become so sycophantic that they detach themselves from the reality of the situation. What these protesters-turned-rioters did was present to the world and the country they live in an ugly and shameful display of brutal ignorance which cannot be excused or overlooked.
Furthermore, Wednesday’s events warn of the effects of keeping up that ignorance. Based on everything that has transpired in the last four years and even before, it was only a matter of time before such individuals would attempt and succeed and something like the Capitol break-in. They succeeded in manifesting the outcome of their false beliefs, an outcome that served no one, least of all the protesters-turned-rioters.
Although they failed in preventing the certification of the incoming president and vice-president, they succeeded at overstepping their bounds and claiming that which is not wholly theirs as their own. The Capitol Building may be “the people’s house” but it doesn’t mean those “people” can break-in and do whatever they goddamn well please just because they feel entitled to.
In retrospect, what boggles the mind (at least mine) is how individuals can swear allegiance to a man who comes from wealth when they have next to nothing. These protesters-turned-rioters wore all sorts of crazy getups and tactical gear when they weren’t wearing whatever rags they had on. How can they prioritize their allegiance to this man who would sooner use their backs to walk and spit on than to the immediate responsibilities to themselves and anyone dependent on them?
In a statement made a day after the chaotic events at the capitol, the outgoing president appeared to condemn the actions of the protesters-turned-rioters, calling them “intruders” and saying, “You do not represent our country, and to those who broke the law, you will pay.” This was done after he told them the previous day, “you’ll never take back our country with weakness, you have to show strength and you have to be strong.” In the end, five people died as a result of the chaos: one was killed by police, three died from natural causes, and one police officer died from injuries. What does it say about the outgoing president’s sincerity and loyalty to those who stormed the nation’s capital on his behalf to ensure he “wins” the election?
He may have said all that just to appease others due to his dwindling Republican support and fast-disappearing cabinet, especially after the chaos of that day. He may also have said all that in order to be allowed to tweet again since Facebook and Instagram have suspended his accounts indefinitely. In the end, does it matter why he turned on his supporters after saying that he “loves” them? As one official put it, the outgoing president, “turns on everyone in the end.”
Perspectives 