Much has happened since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. And as is the American tendency, short memories, partisan denials, and alternative facts have altered the recollection of the events that happened on that day. I would say, “let’s not forget,” but I think many already have.
A new Washington Post-University of Maryland poll this week affirms that partisan replays of January 6 have influenced the memories of that day in a direction sympathetic to those who took part in the attack on the Capitol.
Potential voters, at least those that lean right, have increasingly agreed with the idea that the actions of J6 participants and the actions, or inaction, of then-President Trump weren’t as egregious as originally depicted.
In the immediate J6 aftermath, Republican leaders criticized Trump and held him responsible for the chaos, destruction and injuries that resulted – responsible, until their memories faded a couple of weeks later.
“The president bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters,” said Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy. “He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding. These facts require immediate action by President Trump.”
He added, “Some say the riots were caused by Antifa. There is absolutely no evidence of that,” McCarthy said. “Conservatives should be the first to say so.”
At a press conference, just days after J6, Mitch McConnell, Republican Senate leader, said “We all were here. We saw what happened. It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election, from one administration to the next. That’s what it was.”
McConnell excoriated Trump, saying he was “practically and morally responsible” for the Capitol attack.
And who can forget Senator Lindsay Graham’s famous “enough is enough – count me out” speech on the Senate floor on January 6?
Wow, time sure does heal all. McCarthy was back in the fold in two weeks.
Others have since recanted and are now endorsing a 2024 presidential bid from the guy they accused of attempting to overthrow the government three years earlier.
Compared to the same poll that was conducted two years ago, Republicans are less likely to believe that those who stormed the Capitol were “mostly violent” or that Trump bears responsibility for the events. They’re now even more likely to say that Joe Biden’s win was illegitimate and to believe that legal punishments for Capitol-attack participants are “too harsh.”
Despite full minute-by-minute news coverage of the events of January 6, 35 percent of Republicans in the latest poll now say that those who entered the Capitol that day were “mostly peaceful.” Or, “just another tour of the Capitol.”
Some of the farthest-right members of Congress, and at least two presidential candidates, continue to claim that Antifa, or the FBI and the Department of Justice initiated the attacks. Yet, that argument gets refuted by their next claim that those arrested are now victims that are being mistreated.
Many Republicans have begun referring to the convicted insurrectionists as hostages, and they downplay the events of the day by describing it as a Capitol “tour.” They continue to echo Trump by still contesting the election results from 2020, that had multiple audits, multiple court challenges, that all failed to discover any irregularities.
Those of us that are moderate in our political views don’t understand the far-right or the far-left appeal. It certainly follows that those two political views cannot understand one another, and that neither of them has any interest in, or recollection of, moderate political positions. We just seem to become more divided as we continue to rewrite history.
And, the man who prompted January 6, who continues to fan the flames of division, and who uses legal indictments to fuel his fund-raising for his legal fees, is the presumptive presidential nominee for his party. A segment of the population cheers wildly as he denigrates his ex-supporters who he has deemed to have not pledged sufficient loyalty.
It must be difficult to support someone who demands absolute loyalty, while returning none. I had a loyal dog once, but even he would have rebelled if I had beaten him regularly.
A major focus of Trump’s reelection campaign is to rewrite the history of January 6, calling it “beautiful” and claiming that rioters had “love in their heart, At a Trump rally, the ex-president honored the J6 convicted prisoners by playing a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” that was recorded by the J6 inmates.
Are you looking forward to January 6 next year? This picture shows two folks, who showed up for the January 6 riot, at a 2023 event. One of these nuts is now running for Congress; the other is Marjorie Taylor Green. Amazingly, after just getting rid of George Santos, no one seems embarrassed yet.
Curt MacRae is a resident of Coldwater, MI, and publishes opinion columns regularly.
Tweets @curtmacrae — comments to rantsbymac@gmail.com
Some people are so very gullible!!! All evidence shows that the real “attack” at the Capital on Jan 6 was the FBI’s attack, in co-ordination with Nancy Pelosi’s office to make it look like the PEACEFUL protestors were the ones who performed acts of violence. The whole thing was staged and like the supposed W-hitler kidnapping attempt, was planned and led by the FBI.
What a shame we have so many “news” sources who would lie to the people of America just because they did not like the former president. And what a laughing stock this nation has become in the eyes of the world because we refused to open our eyes and see the fraudulent election results. But even now, more and more proof is coming out and those who went along with the ‘agenda’ will end up being the ones holding the dirty ed of the stick!!!