Last week marked the one-year anniversary of the assault on the US capitol. President Biden gave a blistering speech, blaming the previous president for the insurrection; members of Congress recounted their own harrowing experiences of that day; and some members gathered for a prayer vigil on the capitol steps. Sadly, not many Republicans attended, making it a mostly one-party event. This congressional divide is emblematic of the public divide in America.
On January 6th, 2021, over two thousand people broke into the US capitol, occupying, vandalizing, and looting it. Five died in the assault. Pipebombs were found near the DNC and RNC headquarters. Molotov cocktails were found near the capitol. Four capitol police officers committed suicide in the following months, likely due to post-traumatic stress. Over 700 people have been charged for their role in it, and President Trump was impeached for a second time for encouraging it. Yet polls show a difference in how people interpret that day. 78% of Democrats polled believe that the people who broke into the capitol were mostly violent, whereas only 26% of Republicans feel that way. 92% of Democrats believe the former president bears a good deal of blame for the riot, while only 27% of Republicans feel as such. 92% of people who voted for Biden believe he was legitimately elected, while 69% of those who voted for Trump believe Biden wasn’t.
Make no mistake, such division is not healthy for American democracy. While parties have always differed in their positions (that’s what they do), they have generally believed in the resolution process. Democracies survive because people find ways to come together to make decisions (which is why long-term democracies were not successful before the printing press–it brought the power to coalesce people around an issue). Successful attempts to divide us actually weaken us.
This division portends bad news for America’s leadership position in the world. The more divided we are, the less likely others will listen to us. It’s time to stop thinking of this as something harmless that will correct itself. Positive action is needed to draw us back closer together.
Source:
“The Nation Remembers the Jan. 6 Insurrection,” NPR, accessed on 14 January 2022 from https://www.npr.org/live-updates/jan-6-anniversary-events#lawmakers-recount-the-personal-terror-of-the-jan-6-attack
“Few Republicans Join Events on Capitol Riot Anniversary,” Al Jazeera, accesses on 14 January 2022 from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/6/us-marks-one-year-anniversary-of-capitol-riot-live
Dan Balz, Scott Clement, Emily Guskin, “Poll: Views of Capitol Riot Split on Party Lines,” Washington Post, 2 January 2022, A1, see also https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/01/01/post-poll-january-6/
“2021 United States Capitol attack,” Wikipedia, accessed 13 January 2021.
Photo: Associated Press
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