Big White Lies

Artwork by Michael DiMilo

By Geoff Carter

On the anniversary of the January 6^th attack on the Capitol Building, some of our leaders stepped forth to condemn the actions of the rioters as well as those who encouraged and enabled the violence. The enablers have described the attack on the Capitol as an “insurrection” or even—in a warped and parallel universe of denial—a “peaceful demonstration”.  Others, including President Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and even (much to his regret) Ted Cruz have labeled the attack as an act of domestic terrorism. 

According to Section 802 of the Patriot Act, as described in the ACLU Webpage, “A person engages in domestic terrorism if they do an act “dangerous to human life” that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, if the act appears to be intended to:  (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.” 

Since the January 6^th attack was intended to disrupt the certification of the electoral votes in the 2020 Presidential Election, it stands to reason invaders of the Capitol were committing acts of domestic terrorism. Add to that evidence (often recorded by the perps themselves) that their actions were “dangerous to human life”, the conclusion would seem clear. The rioters were committing multiple acts of domestic terrorism and should therefore be tried as such. 

Yet many of those arrested for their actions that day have not been charged as terrorists—perhaps because they are not perceived as terrorists. According to Robert Pape, a political scientist at the University of Chicago, as stated in his article in the The Atlantic, recently collated profiles of the right-wing extremists involved in the attack were quite surprising. Only ten percent were members of militia groups like The Proud Boys or The Three-Percenters. Most of the rioters were citizens unaffiliated with any extremist groups. Instead, surprisingly, these arrestees came from a wide swath of the middle-class that included CEOs, doctors, law enforcement professionals, lawyers, business owners, IT specialists, and others. Most of them are over forty years old. Most are gainfully employed. This profile runs contrary to our usual expectations of the terrorist. These were not young, poor, disaffected, or impressionable young people inducted into a fanatical ideology. These terrorists are actually mainstream successful Americans. 

A case in point is Jennifer Leigh Ryan, a Texas real estate agent who traveled to Washington with friends in a chartered jet for the January 6^th rally. According to a Newsweek  article, Ryan livestreamed herself at the Capitol during the riot, described Trump’s speech as “a prelude to war” and was recorded chanting “Fight for Trump.” She later stated she deserved a medal for her actions. 

After being arrested, Ryan tweeted that she would never do jail time because she was white, blonde, had a good job and a great future. Citing her—obvious—lack of remorse and her failure to understand the gravity of the crime, Judge Christopher Cooper sentenced Ryan to two months in jail. Ryan responded on TikTok that she would use her time in prison to lose thirty pounds, work out a lot, do a lot of yoga and detox. 

Similarly, Jacob Chansley, the self-proclaimed QAnon Shaman, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in the Capitol invasion. According to CNN Politics, the judge at his trial stated that Chansley had posted scathing posts on social media, to call out corrupt politicians, and to stop President Trump’s fantasy of a stolen election. While awaiting trial, as a protest because he was not allowed his preferred diet of organic food, Chansley went on a hunger strike. He also asked former President Trump for a pardon. 

Neither of these rioters seem to have been formally introduced to reality. Nor were the dozens of other rioters who took selfies, livestreamed and recorded themselves during the invasion, posing for photos—like the interloper in Pelosi’s office or the idiot carrying off a Senate podium—and then subsequently bragging about it over the internet. They seemed to have no idea that they were breaking the law and that their own recordings could be used against them. They thought they couldn’t be touched. 

Why did they come to Washington with violent intent? These people had—obviously—been so deeply radicalized by Trump, Fox News, talk radio, and other prominent Republicans, that they seemed to have no clue they were engaged in terrorist actions. And by any definition of domestic terrorism, they were in it up to their ears. 

They had ostensibly come to “stop the steal”, to restore their idol to his rightful place on the throne, but their motivation ran deeper than that; it was a fear that was so expertly cultivated and nurtured by Trump that it bloomed it a revitalization of white supremacy, or at the very least, white privilege. Look at Ryan’s and Chansley’s arrogance. It reeks of privilege.

Unlike the garden variety zealot ready to give her life for change, these terrorists wanted only to preserve the status quo. Trump is the champion of retrogressive American, white power, and white privilege. He praised the Unite the Right rally (and white supremacist convention) in Charlottesville, told the Proud Boys to stand by, and attempted to build the wall at the southern border. 

At some point during their radicalization—probably due to vitriolic rhetoric, Trump’s followers acceded to political violence as a viable tool to further their agenda. During this transformation from rational American citizens to political terrorists, they somehow failed to recognize their actions on January 6^th as no different from those of Al Qaida on 9/11. 

This is a new breed of terrorism—white terrorism. These zealots are so desperate to preserve white privilege that they attacked their own government to overturn a legal election by—in effect—supporting a coup. Perhaps the most frightening fact is that in a recent ABC News poll stated that forty percent of Republicans stated violence against the government could be justified. 

As Walt Kelly stated, “We have seen the enemy—and he is us.” 

Sources

1. “American Civil Liberties Union.” American Civil Liberties Union, https://www.aclu.org/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2022, https://www.aclu.org/other/how-usa-patriot-act-redefines-domestic-terrorism

• Pape, Robert A., and Keven Ruby. “The Capitol Rioters Aren’t Like Other Extremists – The Atlantic.” The Atlantic, https://www.facebook.com/TheAtlantic/, 2 Feb. 2021, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/the-capitol-rioters-arent-like-other-extremists/617895/.

• Strozewski, Zoe. “Capitol Rioter Who Said She Wouldn’t Go to Jail Since She’s White Gets 2 Months Behind Bars.” Newsweek, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2021, https://www.newsweek.com/capitol-rioter-who-said-she-wouldnt-go-jail-since-shes-white-gets-2-months-behind-bars-1646070 .