January 6th: In the Wake of a Wakeup Call

by Lindsey Ehrlich, Editor

Op-Ed

Depending on your political standing, you may approve or disapprove of Donald Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021. Two years ago, following Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election, his supporters mobbed the Capitol Building, a recognized symbol of democratic government worldwide. Rioters violently looted and vandalized the building in an effort to prevent Congress from counting the electoral votes and formalizing President Joe Biden’s victory. Involved parties suffered casualties and injuries as a result of the attack. Even more distressing, the mob erected a gallows and chanted “Hang Mike Pence!” after Pence dispelled the rumor that the vice president could overturn election results. Trump refused to send the National Guard to subdue the assault. The cause of all this anger? Trump had claimed that the election results were fraudulent and maintained that he was the sanctioned president.

Following the attack, Trump defended the rioters, claiming they were “patriots who posed zero threat” and instead criticized law enforcement for “persecuting the rioters.” Furthermore, he responded approvingly to the threats to Mike Pence’s life, stating, “Maybe our supporters have the right idea,” and suggesting that Pence “deserved” the threats. A week after the attack, the House of Representatives impeached Trump for incitement of insurrection; Donald Trump became the first and only U.S. president to have been impeached twice.

Reflecting on this troubling event, the insurrection becomes a demonstration of the increasingly worrisome threat that political polarization poses to American democracy. Political polarization is “the ideological distance between opposed parties.” At this stage in American politics, Republican and Democratic values have drifted so far apart that most intense partisans believe the opposing party’s policies “are so misguided that they threaten the nation’s wellbeing.” Party policies have become so polarized that voters have no choice but to choose a party that may barely align with their individual values. The result is inflexibility in Congress as well as an overall discontent among voters.

On the extreme side, politics starts to become a lifestyle for voters. The us-vs-them mentality becomes all-consuming, and they believe “democracy is only possible when everyone agrees with them.” Admittedly, political polarization can be beneficial under some circumstances, but in this case, it has caused large-scale political dysfunction. Candidate platforms start to stray from policy ideas, instead gaining support from their overall antagonism. Voters begin to abuse the concept of democracy in a way that encourages segregation and fractures the very fabric of American politics.

In short, political polarization is characterized by amplified hostility toward those who disagree and an eroding focus on policies that advance the status of the nation. Two years ago, the attack on January 6th became a quintessential example of the dangers of political polarization. Trump’s hostile followers wrought havoc on the symbol of American democracy, refusing to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power. Hostility was then met with hostility. Countless articles and headlines alike describe Trump’s following as a “cult.” “On January 6, Trump was not much different from Jim Jones, as he urged his rabid followers to kill American democracy,” The Intercept colorfully states*. Other left-leaning news sources beg similar headlines, characterizing Trump as a cult leader and ruthless dictator. Democrats, especially extreme ones, may nod their heads in approval reading headlines such as these, thankful that someone understands the perils of electing unstable Republican presidents. However, it is important to note that publishing harsh, opinionated headlines without indisputable supporting facts only adds fuel to the burning fire which threatens to tear America down its ideological lines. 

Not one, but both sides embodied the effects of political polarization that day. The insurrection should serve as a wake-up call to extremists, voters, citizens, and legislators alike. Political polarization cannot be solved, but it can be managed. People need to remember that, yes, politics inevitably involves disputes, but setting aside impulsive emotion and instead engaging in respectful disagreements will lay the foundation for a healthy and thriving American democracy.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Kamiak High School or The Gauntlet. 

Sources

Bella, Timothy. “Cheney States Trump Said on Jan. 6 That Pence 'Deserves' to Be Hanged.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 10 June 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/10/jan6-trump-pence-deserves-hanged-cheney-capitol/.

Morgan, Melissa. “The Legacy of January 6.” FSI, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, 5 Jan. 2022, https://fsi.stanford.edu/news/legacies-january-6.

Risen, James. “The Cult of Donald Trump.” The Intercept, The Intercept, 22 July 2022, https://theintercept.com/2022/07/22/trump-cult-jan-6-hearings-pence/.

Talisse, Robert B., and Robert B. Talisse. “The Jan. 6 Insurrection Showed Us the Limits of Polarization.” YES! Magazine, 6 Jan. 2022, https://www.yesmagazine.org/democracy/2022/01/06/insurrection-polarization.

Widakuswara, Patsy. “The Global Legacy of January 6.” VOA, Voice of America (VOA News), 6 Jan. 2022, https://www.voanews.com/a/the-global-legacy-of-january-6/6384891.html.