“Unity” cannot mean that Democrats agree not to hold anyone responsible for what happened last week and over the last four years and Republicans agree to keep doing exactly what they’ve been doing.
I mean it can and Republicans would certainly prefer that it did, but that path just brings us right back here.
Pretty cynical effort by Trumpists to turn criticism of Trump and other Republican leaders whose lies incited the crowd into an attack on all 75 million who voted for him.
Good plan for avoiding accountability; bad plan for avoiding more violence from their supporters.
Good plan for avoiding accountability; bad plan for avoiding more violence from their supporters.
In my head I've been breaking down the people involved with Wednesday's events into sevenish groups. Each group had a different level of engagement, perhaps understood what was happening differently, and requires a different level of social and legal sanction.
1. Protesters
They were lied to, they came, they protested, they never got near the Capitol, they left.
Protected First Amendment activity, they shouldn't feel proud that they participated but not much to be done here.
They were lied to, they came, they protested, they never got near the Capitol, they left.
Protected First Amendment activity, they shouldn't feel proud that they participated but not much to be done here.
2. Tourists
Like Group 1 but they went past the police perimeter after it was breached and milled around outside or wandered into the building.
This is where the lawbreaking starts and it's also where the punishment should start.
Like Group 1 but they went past the police perimeter after it was breached and milled around outside or wandered into the building.
This is where the lawbreaking starts and it's also where the punishment should start.
3. Streamers
QAnon/white nationalist extremists who used their crimes as promotional content.
QAnon/white nationalist extremists who used their crimes as promotional content.
4. Vandals
They got inside the Capitol building and vandalized offices, stole whatever they saw, etc.
They got inside the Capitol building and vandalized offices, stole whatever they saw, etc.
5. Inciters
Speakers who used violent rhetoric at the rally and Republican political and media leaders who spent weeks lying to their supporters about voter fraud.
I'm skeptical about legal liability but social sanction and removal from office should definitely be on the table.
Speakers who used violent rhetoric at the rally and Republican political and media leaders who spent weeks lying to their supporters about voter fraud.
I'm skeptical about legal liability but social sanction and removal from office should definitely be on the table.
6. Thugs
The people who violently breached the Capitol by assaulting its guardians.
The people who violently breached the Capitol by assaulting its guardians.
7. The zip-tie guys.
These are the ones who scare me the most; some participants were clearly well-armed and prepared to take hostages. Need to be identified and rooted out.
These are the ones who scare me the most; some participants were clearly well-armed and prepared to take hostages. Need to be identified and rooted out.
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