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In December, I wrote about the credible evidence that the federal government was involved in the orchestration of some of the criminal activity that took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2020. That would be bad enough, but the government involvement and state response to January 6 isn’t just a political move for some to gain more power and influence. The aftermath of the “insurrection” has revealed that our rule of law, which is necessary for equal rights, has eroded to a dangerous degree. Those in power are using the power of the police state to stamp out their political rivals, which include American citizens who don’t vote the way some elites think they should.
What “insurrection” really means
To start, there’s been quite a bit of confusion over what constitutes an “insurrection.” The actual definition of “insurrection” is a revolt against a government by overthrowing and dismantling that government from within. So, a group of unarmed protesters who entered the U.S. Capitol, some lawfully and others unlawfully, to stage a sit-in, walk around the Senate chamber, and even steal property like Pelosi’s laptop and a podium do not constitute an insurrection. The fact that these protesters disrupted an official proceeding also does not qualify as insurrectionist act because the point of all protests is to be disruptive.
If the January 6 protesters are insurrectionists, then how should we classify the Black Lives Matter protesters that burned down the Minneapolis police precinct? Or the Occupy Wall Street that unlawfully took over numerous parks and public places despite police resistance? Or the anarchists who created CHOP/CHAZ in Seattle, Washington? These acts are far more insidious to the rule of law and the integrity of American government institutions than even the worst of the actions taken on January 6.
Let’s not let political hacks tell us that January 6 was an insurrection when we have a full-blown revolution on our hands when we look at the actions of far-left protesters over the past year and a half. The difference is that the latter actually talk about dismantling American institutions on a regular basis. This looks like classic projection to me— those on the left only understand those on the right by what the former would do themselves. So, let’s move on to more substantive matters.
What the hypocrisy reveals
I’m certainly not the first to point out the hypocrisy of those who let looters in left-wing cities run off scot-free if the stolen goods are valued under $950, praised the Wisconsin Capitol occupation, and gave a free pass to criminals during Black Lives Matter protests while they condemn January 6 protesters.
When some Americans trespass in the U.S. Capitol building, arguably the people’s capitol where the general public used to be welcomed, these protesters are defamed, charged to the hilt, and some are even thrown in federal prison and placed in solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day. This is part of the DOJ’s “shock and awe” campaign to charge January 6 protesters with the most severe charges possible in order to send the message that defiance to the Biden regime will likely lead to criminal charges.
In fact, Federal prosecutor Michael Sherwin actually said that this approach was successful because “… we saw through media posts that people were afraid to come back to D.C. because they're like, "If we go there, we're gonna get charged."’
The unjust treatment of one side’s political rivals whiffs of the familiar stench of McCarthyism. But I would say that this version of the Red Scare (when those in Congress are afraid of conservative Republicans instead of Communists) is far more insidious. We can argue the merits of the Cold War elsewhere, but at least McCarthyism, as untoward as it was, was directed at the ideological proponents of a hostile regime with which we were at war.
In the current case, Pelosi, the Squad, and their flunkies have declared right of center, law abiding Americans domestic terrorists. And it’s not just because of January 6. Vocal parents who oppose critical race theory being taught in classrooms (either explicitly or as the pedagogical foundation of the school’s curriculum) qualify as “domestic terrorists.” As John Lucas, Army Ranger turned attorney, points out, this pejorative labeling justifies extreme state action to quell the threat. We’re seeing this play out with the potential creation of a “Domestic Terrorism Unit,” which appears to be motivated more by politics than good policing.
As I’ve said before, those who commit actual crimes should be charged and prosecuted while their due process rights are upheld. The problem is that some in power are creating new categories of crimes, like guilt by association and being aligned with the wrong political movement. So, if someone was at the January 6 protest, they must have committed a crime. And if someone supported Trump and had doubts about the validity of the 2020 election results, that person is a victim of disinformation and a threat to democracy. Such a person is a legitimate target for the increasingly police-like state that sees their ends as justifying any means.
And I would point out that it doesn’t seem logical to declare a political opponent guilty by association while blaming the incarceration of others who actually commit crimes on systemic injustices, but that would make the extent of the elite’s hypocrisy too maddening.
Rights cannot be dependent on political beliefs
Once equal rights and equality under the law for all erodes to a certain extent, the problems this creates spread to the rest of the system. As bad as it is to deny the full rights of citizenship to groups of Americans based on identity (which I also denounce), there is something uniquely dangerous about limiting rights based on political affiliations. If a party can undermine the civil rights and liberties of its opponents, then our rights and liberties are no longer that. They have become the tools of power instead of the ways in which we can be free from and check a power-hungry government.
This has already begun to happen. Some on the left are publicly considering using the January 6 incident against sitting members of Congress, tying them to charges of sedition, a charge that would bar them from seeking reelection.
This is consequential not only because these are unsubstantiated charges, but also because some leftists are trying to eliminate their opponents through illegitimate means. Couple this with the fact that incumbents tend to win electoral races and that people have a right to choose their representatives, and it’s clear to see that the politicization of the law has rippling, negative effects.
Do you think this isn’t a big deal? Apply the principle of reciprocity. Once one side crosses the line or changes the rules of the game in their favor, the other side believes they are justified in doing the same once they’ve come to power. The erosion of the filibuster rules for presidential appointees in the 21st century is a prime example of one party using the other’s playbook for its own interests. Once the state can violate your neighbor’s rights, it’s only a matter of time before they do it to you.
If we can’t think in ways that challenge those in power without fear of disproportional retaliation or elect representatives who share our values and don’t conform to an out of touch elite, how free are we? Well, as free as they are willing to let us think that we are, I suppose.
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