By Matt Underwood Trump Is the Jan. 6 President
It’s a stark truth, and one that resonates deeply: January 6th wasn’t just a blip, a side story. It was a pivotal moment, a national breaking point that exposed the deep fissures in our democracy. And when we look at the whole picture – his actions leading up to it, the day itself, and the continued reactions of his supporters – the title “Trump is the Jan. 6 President” isn’t just an edgy tweet, it’s a political reality. It reflects his legacy.
January 6th stands as one of the darkest days in recent American history, particularly in the last half-century. It was a self-inflicted wound, a direct result of a leader who knew he’d lost the election but refused to accept it, choosing instead to attempt to subvert the very foundations of our democratic process. The attack on the Capitol, the violence, the chaos – all stemmed from the words and actions of Donald Trump. And yet, there’s a troubling reality: for a significant portion of the country, January 6th is already becoming a footnote, a forgotten chapter. This is what makes it even more disturbing.
It makes you wonder, if the people involved in the insurrection had been predominantly people of color, how different the reaction would have been. We know how law enforcement and the media would have characterized and dealt with the event. There’s a clear double standard at play here, and it highlights the uncomfortable truth about the biases and priorities that shape our national narrative.
It’s infuriating to see how some media outlets have treated this man. Their constant need to make him seem normal and less of a threat. The pardons he would have given the insurrectionists if he got back in the white house. They tell you everything you need to know about his priorities.
Trump’s actions on and around January 6th, and the unwavering support he receives from a significant segment of the population, fundamentally alter our understanding of his presidency. He is and remains an insurrectionist. To deny this is to ignore the overwhelming evidence, the televised spectacle of that day. It is an act of historical revisionism. His actions are those of an autocratic leader, focused on consolidating power and undermining the legitimacy of democratic institutions. It’s a sad state of affairs when you see so many people performing a ritual of repeating that he won the White House multiple times and that he is the greatest president in our lifetime.
I had always thought that any republican who would vote for him was nothing more than brainwashed. But after January 6th? There is no justification. There is no excuse. Supporting the GOP now means endorsing a party that attempted to overthrow the government. Giving any votes to Republicans is endorsing a party that attempted to overthrow our government.
The way that some people just don’t care, or actively dismiss January 6th as a non-event, is a chilling testament to the power of denial and the erosion of truth. They know what happened. They saw it. But they choose to look away. This isn’t just about forgetting; it’s about actively rejecting the reality of what transpired. And this is not new, in America, there is always the whitewashing of parts of our history that are inconvenient.
We live in a country that embodies the idea of willful ignorance. American exceptionalism, as it is understood by many, seems to foster a sense of complacency, a comfort in the bubble of our own narratives. We see this with the reactions to the January 6th event. The response to the insurrection would have been completely different.
It’s easy to see how people have turned a blind eye. The mainstream media has been in on it all along. Blame them for his reelection all you want. The media has a duty to stop the spread of misinformation *before* the damage is done.
The reality is simple: Trump is the Jan. 6th president. His actions, his words, and the ongoing support he receives are inextricably linked to that day. The legacy of his presidency will forever be stained by his role in the attack on the Capitol.