Was Jan. 6th an insurrection or a protest?

in insurrection •  9 months ago 

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I have seen from what appear to be careful sources that the earliest documented suggestions of violence on Jan 6th appear to be in private online groups, infiltrated by FBI agents concerned about domestic terrorism. Sounds great until you find the suggestions were first made...by said agents.

This doesn't absolve anyone for their later actions IMO, but when you add in the various video documented actions moving things in the bad direction by both uniformed law enforcement, and the 200+ undercover agents in the crowd, hopefully you can see how this leaves a profoundly bitter taste in red tribe mouths. They feel set up by the institutions they already mistrusted, and calling it "Entrapment day" is to me perfectly understandable.

If you are from blue tribe, and you think the intent of these protestors was for a coup or insurrection - meaning they wanted in any meaningful way to seize any meaningful power - I think this is a cross-cultural error.

I don't mean that it isn't reasonable to consider their actions (regardless of intent) as some form of insurrection or treason. If you view it that way, fine, it's a definition question, I'm too old for that trap, and also I get where you are coming from and might agree.

What I mean is on the intent side. Specifically: yes, there are many people in red tribe who are profoundly skeptical of govt to a degree that they could, someday, actually attempt to violently overthrow the govt. And that you will know when that day comes, because they will bring their guns.

You will also know when that day has not come, because they will not bring their guns, as was the case on Jan 6th - of the hundreds of thousands of protestors, thousands that entered capitol, ~1000 arrests, last count I saw there were 3 people with firearms.

These are people who believe in the 2nd amendment in a way that I know I didn't understand from my grey/blue tribe world city world. But it's really just as simple as that. Rednecks not carrying any of their numerous, beloved guns, are rednecks definitely not trying to overthrow a government.

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