Amidst the controversy about the protest at the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2021, one thing remains clear: an unbiased analysis of the events is imperative to ensure justice and truth prevail.
Fact Check
January 6th was a protest turned into a riot due to poor security. It was NOT an insurrection.
Background
As the dust settled and the nation grappled with the event, it became quickly evident that hundreds of everyday Americans were, and are still being unfairly targeted by a narrative that seeks to vilify them.
Central to this harmful and false narrative is the labeling of the events as an “insurrection”.
This characterization warrants critical examination.
The events of January 6th, 2021, have been widely depicted as a violent insurrection, with some political figures and media outlets quick to assign blame and condemnation.
However, a closer examination of the facts reveals a different reality.
Despite claims to the contrary, only one protester out of thousands was found to be carrying a gun during the events at the Capitol. This fact, often overlooked or misrepresented, underscores the importance of impartial analysis in discerning truth from speculation. Despite attempts to stretch the truth and include any and all evidence of supposed weaponry, the fact remains that only a single licensed firearm was found during the Capitol Riots on Capitol grounds. That person was rightfully charged.
While other isolated cases may come to light, the narrative being built around the protest being an armed insurrection is harmful and malicious at best.
Furthermore, it is important to examine the claimed loss of life on January 6th. While media continues to report and falsely claim multiple fatalities, it’s essential to clarify that only one person died on that day — a protestor shot by Capitol Police for which no investigation has been properly carried out. The death of Ashli Babbitt, a veteran, who was shot by a Capitol Police officer, and which was the only casualty of the day, has unfortunately largely escaped scrutiny and investigation.
Furthermore, it continues to be falsely reported in every mainstream publication that a few Capitol Police officers died on January 6th. It is essential to note that none of them died on January 6th and their deaths were unrelated to the events of the day. The coroner ruled that none of these deaths were a result of any injuries, and none were sustained during the events of January 6th.
The assaulting members of the public must be brought to justice for their actions that actions against the police, but we can’t stereotype the thousands of others. If at all, the fact that additional reinforcements were denied by the DC mayor, could be a more direct reason of the riot becoming more than it should have. If only the DC mayor had listened to the President’s office instead of playing power politics, perhaps there wouldn’t have been a riot at all.
In the midst of conflicting narratives and political agendas, it’s imperative to maintain a commitment to truth and objectivity.
Eyewitness accounts and official video footage have shown that after the initial chaos, the protesters were observed peacefully lining up inside the Capitol building. And they were also let in peacefully by the Capitol police themselves. Even inside the offices of congress representatives which protestors accessed, there was absence of any meaningful damage beyond a few stray images of damaged furniture.
All of this indicates that barring a few bad actors, the intentions of the public overall were not hostile at all.
Partisan journalists have latched onto the presence of ropes, tape, and plastic cable ties among some protesters, suggesting nefarious intent. They made wild claims that protestors intended to hang VP Mike Pence and harm other representatives. However, there is a significant gap between thought, intent, and action, and it is irresponsible to make harmful allegations about fellow citizens and political protestors without concrete evidence of intent.
Amidst the fallout from January 6th, political tensions have escalated. However, it’s essential to consider the broader context, including the denial by the DC mayor of repeated requests to enhance security measures and the overruling of discussions regarding the deployment of the National Guard on that day to control the riots.
This political grandstanding, aided and encouraged by a biased media, only serves to further divide the nation. President Biden repeatedly dehumanizing voters that are against his policies is a tragic sign of how low we can stoop in our quest to gain power.
Do not forget how Hitler and the Nazi party successfully recruited popular support in demonizing the Jewish people. We all know how that ended.
If we value political party and propaganda over our own common sense and fellow citizens, we are doomed to face severe consequences. As we continue to navigate the aftermath of January 6th, we must punish the guilty but let us uphold principles of objectivity and respect for our fellow citizens instead of dehumanizing and stereotyping.
We must reject, and actively resist false claims of “insurrection” by our national media and politicians.
Just as the guilty must be held accountable and get a fair trial, our journalists and media personalities must be held to a higher standard.
