Blog post 5

 Harrison Gold

POLS170

Blog 5

 

Discussing the Rise in Domestic Terrorism

 

During the week of November 8th, we covered, “What Is Terrorism and Why Does it Matter??”.  Most memorably for me, were the heinous acts of Dylan Roof in the Emmanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston, SC and, of course, the assault of January 6th of our nation’s capital.

Just a few years ago, when an American spoke of terrorism, most would’ve thought of an unthinkable act that took place in the Middle East - in places like Afghanistan, Iran or Pakistan.  But today, Americans are seeing these acts frequently play out in our own communities.  Whether it be school shootings, bombings at places like the Boston marathon or violent protests (BLM or White Supremacists) – it is huge and worsening problem.

Most certainly, acts of domestic terrorism have taken place over the years, it has sadly become a far more frequent problem over the past few years – I think it is important to understand why this is happening and what can possibly be done to reduce these tragedies.

  There is a long list of examples of domestic terrorism I could blog about.  However, I think the insurrection of January 6th is a very relevant and current example.  I also believe it captures the mood of our country at this point in time.  I often wonder, “why would so many people descend of Washington DC to disrupt a procedure that has been practices for decades?  Why would people want murder politicians and trespass into the capital building and kill capital police while doing so?  What caused this unprecedented event? 

President Trump lost the 2021 presidential election to President Biden.  All of his dozens of legal challenges claiming voter fraud failed, and even Republican officials in places like Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada and Arizona agreed that there was little to know corruption in the election process.  But, President Trump would not accept the result.  From there, I have no doubt that he, and his loyalists, created chaos with his very loyal base.  I believe that his large base of followers are like-minded individuals that trust his word and will believe what he tells them.  Of all that we’ve seen since 2016, the unwavering loyalty of his base is what I find most surprising.  He once said that he could shoot someone in the middle of Time Square and he wouldn’t lose support.  It is clear that he was right.  But why?

For whatever reason, President Trump will not accept that he legitimately lost the 2021 Presidential election. Upon his loss, he told his followers to, “fight like hell and stop this great and disgusting injustice because the world is laughing at us.”  It was this type of rhetoric and the loyalty of his base that is at the heart of the January 6th insurrection.

I believe that the January 6th insurrection committee that is investigating this incident has a very important job ahead of them.  While I have concerns that, even if they prove that it is President Trump’s fault, it won’t change the opinion of Trumps base.  And, this possibility frustrates and depresses me.  Nevertheless, the work of this committee is a very important step to take the necessary steps to reducing the possibility that this type of severe domestic act of terrorism never happens again on US soil.

Comments

  1. Jack de la ParraDecember 8, 2021 at 2:20 PM

    I agree with this notion. Former President Trump has truly created am almost cult-like following in his time as president and beyond. Even within the republican party, you see people unwilling to speak or run against him, in fear of the potential consequences. This has become increasingly dangerous as it leads to the politicizaiton of many things simply based on Trump's words. For example, masks and vaccines have become a political issue where they should not be.

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  2. Elise CoakleyDecember 9, 2021 at 9:32 AM

    I agree with your comments about Trumps supporters, and how they are fervently loyal to the Trump ideals. I think this is a perfect example of how misinformation, unreliable information sources, and blind loyalty can become extremely dangerous and harmful to democracy. The January 6th insurrection was an unprecedented event that shows just how polarized this country has become, and how successfully Trump has spread his misinformation and strengthened his supporters. It sets a dangerous precedent to future elections, because what happens if a Democrat wins in 2024? Will Republicans riot again and claim corruption?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Keri GilliganDecember 10, 2021 at 1:31 PM

    I think you bring up many interesting points here. More specifically, the nature of the loyal supporters that Trump and his administration have created. I want to learn more about how this was strategically formulated as it has captured the attention and support of half the country. I think it's unique, at least in terms of my time alive, since even formally republican votes are not Trump supporters. This insurrection makes me fear the future as I slowly begin to lose hope seeing events like this unfold.

    ReplyDelete

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