Jan. 6, 2021, was a defining moment in Donald Trump’s presidency. It was an ugly day in American history.
But what occurred on that day at the Capitol has been skewed by both Left and Right. In order to advance tribalist narratives, it has been turned into one of two things: either the worst event ever or a stunning show of patriotism. Neither is an accurate retelling of the day. The purposeful confusion will only continue as the country gets closer to its one-year anniversary.
After a contentious election, and only weeks before the new president was sworn in, Trump supporters assembled in hopes of overturning the process by which the electoral votes would certify Joe Biden’s victory. Clearly, those who took part were under the delusion that the election was “stolen” from the 45th president. As has been made abundantly clear, it was not. On Jan. 6, Trump only encouraged outrage by tweeting about a “rigged election” and saying, “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution,” among other things.
We know what happened next: Protesters violently stormed and breached the Capitol building in a failed attempt to subvert our democratic process. In the end, there were not only criminal acts committed, but some lives were tragically lost. It remains a deep national disgrace. It also requires some much-needed perspective.
Some of Trump’s greatest enemies love to view the day as worse than Sept. 11, 2001. This is a slap in the face to the thousands of Americans who lost loved ones in coordinated terror attacks. That was a day of monstrous evil that we pray will never be repeated. Because of it, Americans feel less safe and insulated. 9/11 changed so much about how we see others, foreign policy, and personal safety. To view 1/6/21 as similar to or even worse than 9/11/01 may bolster feelings that imagine Trump as a Hilter-like figure. But these ideas are not based in reality.
At the same time, the day was nothing that should be celebrated. It was not a show of patriotism. It remains inexcusable. It was not a stand for truth or against socialism or the media elite. It was a cowardly, violent act by a small number of misguided Americans, all while the sitting president encouraged action and then watched.
Quite simply, it wasn’t nothing, but it certainly wasn’t everything.
Now, the day is almost a litmus test for the most loyal wings of both the Left and Right. Do you view the day as bad but not akin to 9/11 or a similar event? Well, you’re not serious about protecting our nation and its most fundamental processes. Do you view the day as bad and not an act of patriotism? Well, you must not care what the socialist Left intends to do to our country and shared freedoms. If one soberly judges the events of Jan. 6, 2021, one is sure to make enemies of the most loyal partisans.
The closer the calendar gets to Jan. 6, 2022, the more there will be discussions about the day that colored an entire presidency. The passage of time has only made both sides grow more insistent that the events of Jan. 6 were far worse or much better than what actually occurred. Just a few weeks ago, some members of the media bizarrely noted the nine-month anniversary of the day, as if their witness makes them martyrs. And on Thursday, Trump foolishly issued a statement saying, “The insurrection took place on November 3, Election Day. January 6 was the Protest!”
There is no doubt that politicians and their most ardent supporters will refer to Jan. 6, 2021, in whatever way best suits their purposes. But honesty is a must, regardless of agenda. And when reviewing 1/6/21, honesty is the thing that seems to be in short supply.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
