Why can’t we establish common ground and admit what really happened on January 6th?
Legislation to award three Congressional gold medals to Capitol Police and other officers for their heroic actions in defending lawmakers and Capitol Hill amid the rioting on January 6th passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 413-12. All 12 of those voting against honoring the Capitol police were Republicans.
The general objection from the 12 Republicans was calling the event an “insurrection.”
Part of the bill reads:
“On January 6, 2021, a mob of insurrectionists forced its way into the U.S. Capitol building and congressional office buildings and engaged in acts of vandalism, looting, and violently attacked Capitol Police officers.”
Among the 12 Republicans voting against the legislation were the QAnon Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene from GA and ultra-right MAGA torch-bearer Congressman Matt Gaetz of FL. “It’s just offensive that we literally log-rolled recognition of the Capitol Police,” Rep. Gaetz said.
Another Republican voting against the legislation honoring the Capitol Police was Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie who said he had “a problem with the term ‘insurrection,’” and further disagreed with the section of the bill that read, “The desecration of the U.S. Capitol, which is the temple of our American Democracy, and the violence targeting Congress are horrors that will forever stain our Nation’s history.”
Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert issued a statement expressing his opinion that the legislation “does not honor anyone, but rather seeks to drive a narrative that isn’t substantiated by known facts.” A narrative not substantiated by “known facts?” Videos from live coverage of the insurrection substantiate the narrative, and countless personal phone camera videos provide more support of the facts.
And this is the problem. We can’t even agree on the facts about what happened. I understand that it is inconvenient to admit that Trump supporters stormed the Capitol that day and uttered calls for top politicians to be captured in a physical effort to stop the democratic process of an election, but that’s what happened.
On my talk show, I have consistently made the distinction between the Trump supporters that promoted and executed the takeover of the Capitol on January 6th and Republicans and conservatives in general. The mass majority of the articles covering this story only focus on the 12 Republicans that voted against the legislation. I had to search for the fact that 12 voted “nay” - there were 5 no votes - but 194 Republicans supported the bill honoring the Capitol Police for their heroic actions on January 6th.
For those who support labeling the media, the “liberal media,” this is an example of bias. Failing to emphasize that 194 Republicans supported honoring the Capitol Police may not have fit the agenda of presenting all Republicans in the same negative light.
But the 12 Republicans who vocally denounced the legislation represent a group of deniers who cannot bring themselves to face any of the truth about former President Trump.
By definition - what happened on January 6th was an “insurrection” and it is a fact that the participants were loyal Trump supporters - but it is not fair to not mention that 194 Republicans that voted for the bill and the many Republicans and conservatives they represent across America.
We should always call out those - on either side - who refuse to accept the facts!
