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‘Mostly peaceful’ violence and dueling double standards

By Michael Barone
Published February 3, 2021 9:32pm ET
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‘Mostly peaceful’ violence and dueling double standards
In this Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 file photo, supporters of President Donald Trump, including Jacob Chansley, center with fur hat, are confronted by Capitol Police officers outside the Senate Chamber inside the Capitol in Washington. Right-wing extremism has previously mostly played out in isolated pockets of America or in smaller cities. In contrast, the deadly attack by rioters on the U.S. Capitol targeted the very heart of government. It brought together members of disparate groups, creating the opportunity for extremists to establish links with each other.

Pictures matter. Visual images convey truths, and falsehoods, with an emotional impact that can amplify and sometimes completely overwhelm the messages imparted by words.

Consider the photo of the guy with the buffalo horn headdress and naked midriff standing at the Speaker’s podium in the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 6. Or the video shot of a CNN reporter standing in front of fires blazing around burnt-out cars in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last August.

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Black Lives Matter George Floyd Minneapolis Riots U.S. Capitol