Perspective on January 6.
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File
The rioting that broke out on Capitol Hill one year ago today should never have happened. Period. Full stop.
The knuckleheads that engaged in it did harm to the very cause they intended to support. If the goal was to go to Washington, D.C. to attend a rally in support of expressing concern about the integrity of the 2020 election, it was pure lunacy to engage in a riot. By storming the Capitol, these idiots effectively placed a tinfoil hat upon every single one of us who harbors legitimate concern about the way that the 2020 election was carried out in certain Democrat-dominated precincts.
Though Democrats ridicule anyone who dares say so, the COVID pandemic provided them cover to make critical changes to election procedures in in some key states. Those changes – which included hastily implemented mail-in voting, unattended ballot drop boxes and drive-thru voting – dramatically reduced safeguards against fraud. In all cases, those procedure changes were made without the benefit of legislative action and were thus, in all cases, clearly illegal.
Regardless of whether or not there was fraud sufficient to have changed the outcome – and we will never know – it’s quite reasonable to have serious questions about the 2020 election and concerns as to how those questions might affect future elections.
So, with all of that said, let’s consider January 6. First, though Dems try to make it so, January 6 is in no way analogous to September 11. It just isn’t. It was not an “insurrection” as Democrats and the media love to call it. There was no attempt to “overthrow” the government.
Second, Democrat outrage over January 6 would carry more weight if they had shown similar outrage over the riots that happened night after night in cities across the country for nearly the entirety of the summer of 2020. Unlike January 6, those riots had a lasting impact in lives lost, businesses burned out (many of them minority-owned) and police departments demoralized to the point of dysfunction.
Third, Democrats would have more credibility in denouncing the concerns about the 2020 election that sparked the January 6 capitol riot if they, themselves, hadn’t for four years cried foul about the 2016 election. In stark contrast to the questions that linger over places like Fulton County, Georgia and Wayne County, Michigan, there is exactly zero evidence that Donald Trump “colluded” with the Russians to “steal” the 2016 election. There is, however, considerable evidence to suggest that those who are concerned about the integrity of the vote counting in 2020 in certain jurisdictions have a right to those concerns.
What’s really going on is that January 6 is a useful tool for Democrats. It’s useful in their efforts to discredit supporters of Donald Trump. It’s useful in casting doubt in the minds of independent voters who might otherwise be persuaded to vote for a Republican. And of particular timeliness to Democrats in January 2021, January 6, 2020 serves as a much-needed diversion from the spectacle of a rapidly failing Biden presidency.
Another “right on point” editorial. This country is in the middle of serious conflict, most of which has been planned and financed by radicals such as George Soros and Bill Gates. The Chinese were afraid of Trump because he was tough, and they had to do something to get rid of him. Scare folks enough, and they will do whatever the government says. Paul, you are a good man, and I am proud to call you a friend. I sincerely hope you and Lee have a productive and prosperous 2022.
Yes what a useful tool indeed and the right would certainly do the same. To suggest it’s a tool could be interpreted as a down playing of events, but unfortunately many minimize if not dismiss what occurred that day ,but that’s politics these days ,have to wonder what could occur that no one would dare try to play down,unfortunately I think I know the answer. Diversion ? ,you can’t miss it, constant ridicule, berating and on and on from the right,if anyone is distracted by investigating the 6 th from how terrible current administration is supposedly doing , then they are living in a bubble, even other countries have talking heads that obsess over American politics. Many seem entertained by it all, and I guess that’s all it seems to be these days ,entertainment, ratings ,Big business. I’m sure it’s hard not to cash in on it all for many, flexible morality, principals,alternative facts make it easier I’m sure. Our previous President routinely mentioned what he was doing for all networks, ratings, it’s as though it all was just a big production, that still hasn’t ended and the money still flowing. Let the good times role !
What happened that day was about 500 out of about 30,000 people trespassed in the Capital building while participating in a protest. Of those about 500, most of them just strolled around the building looking and acting like tourists. The very few that committed any crimes were charged with criminal damage to a federal building and interfering with official government business.
Yes Troy, absolutely, but no charges of insurrection or sedition. If the January 6th Commission can implicate President Trump in abetting or inciting an insurrection, he could be barred from ever holding public office. I am sure that little factoid has nothing to do with these partisans’ motivation? As an added benefit to throwing the book at these protestors, it will throw cold water on anyone thinking about attending the next rally. Most law-abiding and productive citizens cannot afford to be caught up in something like this, so will likely forfeit their freedom of expression and sit out the next one. If this had been an Antifa or BLM “protest”, they would have been back on the street in an hour, instead of still being incarcerated a year later!
My only regret is that I can only like this response once!
It is so sad that much of the video evidence about what happened Jan 6 is only getting out in bits and pieces. This includes evidence of the death of 2 others (one being Rosanne Boyland, age 34 spoken of by Officers Gonell and Dunn) besides Ashli Babbitt; articles in “The Gateway Pundit, Julie Kelly in AMGreatness.com, etc. Evidence is provided as well as articles being released by the FBI and other agencies. Research has never been more important to ascertain the truth. Thanks!
Your points about the “Perspective on January 6” are well-expressed and well-taken. This tactic is not only a diversion from the “rapidly falling Biden presidency”, it is also the ever popular Leftist strategy of “projection”. This “insurrection” will help inoculate Democrat candidates from the Summer anarchy of 2020, as well as “defund the police” and the resulting pervasive increase in crime. They realize how damaging the images of untold cities being vandalized and torched, along with injuries and deaths will have in campaign ads in the mid-terms. If the Democrat candidate can counter with a constant loop of the QAnon Shaman walking up the aisle of the Capitol, along with those “knuckleheads” scaling the walls, the Democrat tacit and overt approval of the Summer anarchy will be mitigated. Even though the two are not comparable in any material way, many in our electorate will see the “insurrection” as worse. When I see that 40% of voters think President Biden is doing a good job with the economy, it makes me wonder about how many brain cells are actually firing in some folks!
What I want to know is the truth to the videos that show police officers waving the crowd forward. In one video that was as clear as a high pressure winter sky during a day in January, a police officer runs forward on the Capital steps, removes a barricade, and starts pointing the way for the crowd to go toward the Capital itself. What is up with this? Other videos show the same exercise by uniformed law enforcement. IT CANNOT BE BOTH WAYS or can it? And what about that female veteran who was unarmed and in the wrong place at the wrong time who was shot and killed? Many questions to be answered. Am I endorsing the riot; absolutely not! But there is always many angles to such a large-scale event and the evidence I have witnessed points to a dichotomy of unlawful acts on both parts of the crowd and the police or whomever those uniformed people were pointing the way to the Capital. On the flip side, those who took benches, flag poles, or whatever they were using to bash in windows to gain access to the Capitol should be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, no doubt. THAT was the pure definition of a riot. But for the Democrats to put together such a dog and pony show to expose these “White Supremacist Trump Voters” is hypocrisy at its purest form. As you stated Paul in this article; we CANNOT have BLM and Antifa perpetrating much more devious destructive acts and these people are given passes as soon as they are arrested destroying people’s businesses and lives? How many police officers were killed by these anarchists? Has the Dems condemned these acts or put together a committee to get to the bottom of these riots? NO! And they never will. Thank God I live in Texas.
To quote one of my favorite movies “You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means”. Can you provide a reference where the term insurrection is defined as an “attempt to overthrow the government”?
From Webster.com: in·sur·rec·tion | \ ˌin(t)-sə-ˈrek-shən noun : a usually violent attempt to take control of a government
We should probably consult the actual U.S Code for this. Under 18 U.S. Code section 2383, there is no mention of overthrowing a government. But interestingly enough it is mentioned in sections 2384 and 2385. The few legal dictionaries I consulted didn’t contain that term either.
18 USC 2383 Rebellion or Insurrection: “Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined UNDER THIS TITLE or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States” This definition sounds a lot like the “mostly peaceful demonstrations” that burned down government buildings, as well as private businesses in the Summer of 2020. Participants in any self-respecting rebellion or insurrection would be carrying more than hockey sticks flag poles, and pepper spray. Give me a break!
Give me a break and try to stay on topic. Paul equated insurrection with “overthrow of the government”. I gave my reasoning why that doesn’t seem correct. You added nothing of value.
Maybe next time around it will be more organized, planned. Maybe lots of explosives, automatic weapons, maybe even some air support etc. People seem to talk casually about having some form of revolt these days,how unfortunate but it seems the idea is acceptable and actions aren’t has frowned upon as much as they may have used to be. How unbelievable it all is.
My proposed Babylon Bee headline:
After Comparing Jan. 6th To 9/11 And Pearl Harbor, Kamala Harris Exclaims ‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’ While Reviewing Footage Of 2020 Riots, Attacks On Federal Property