The Capitol dome and pediment depicting a central figure as “the Union” pointing to Justice on the left and gazing towards Hope on the right. Stock photo.
The Jan 6 Committee is bringing new information and context to the information we knew.
Over the last years, 2015, certainly 2016 through 2022, we have all been living in the atmosphere of the 45th Presidential reign. Politics is the comfort zone for many but not all and this particular presidency was a special case to become either repelled by or become one who unusually embraced every Q connection dearly in the budding cult. For many, the loss of Hilary Clinton’s campaign was as if a heavy curtain went down blocking her horizon and ours as well.
In the first days we were pressed into accepting nontraditional approaches to governing. Uncomfortable and unfamiliar it was pushed, pressed and we were put in line to accept it all. There are people who have closely watched the threads of stories traceable from the campaign that lead up to the Jan 6 insurrection, the armed coup Trump appears to have whipped together in some last ditch effort to cling to power. We see that offer of timing as unlikely now as others of us have been watching with horror for some time, sloppy criminals seem not only in the news but everywhere.
We have had gaslighting lessons we really didn’t want and learned not to get on the back of a scorpion to cross the river. We visited incessantly, the frog in the warm water story. A little cartoon guy sitting in the cannibal pot, yes, the little guy will be boiled. Our country is rife with other stories delivered at the push of a virtual button. Stories of denial and silly stories no better than the lion ate my homework.
Depending on the news outlet you watched, you had a different response to it all. There are the obvious far right fantasy channels versus actual news choices however, even the “real” news has been acting a bit nuts for a while now. Also a cottage industry of journalism has surfaced through podcasts, youtube sub stack, to mention most popular ways. Although many not have done well for themselves, they have kept body and soul together and done a great service to us and democracy. Some are better than others in every way, but all have served to us in creating an fuller understanding of the events around us. Former mainstream media, retired prosecutors and civic minded comedians are among the true patriots attempting to fill the void the pre fairness doctrine affiliates once did.
There seems to have been cavernous divide and disagreement about just how wide spread the criminality of the last administration was, but, I know we all feel a difference since Biden took the reins. Again, it’s all news and how accurate and true it is are the opinions embedded in each telling. The tone set at the news outlet, the thrust the advertisers are counting on. Then, there’s what people knew because they knew first hand and chose not to come forward. There was preparation and fliers and meetings and so much was delivered first hand through growling radio and recruitment podcasts promising a variety of revenge scenarios. We knew stuff was going on. The purposefully clouded atmosphere made us uncertain. We could choose our truth from a pu-pu platter of possibilities.
In alternatives to the big news stations, there have been fringe reporters that deserve more attention. Hindsight isn’t always the most pleasant way to understand things but it’s instructive just the same. We tend to choose news we want to hear. There are talking heads for each of us and from alternative facts to alternate slates of electors the information was staring us all in the face, if we chose to see it. It seems theres not a lot of information that crosses over the deep divisions and it’s not always understandable. It’s those caverns that will have to close.
The information you have is the information you use to form opinion and make decisions. The committee is handing us unambiguous testimony.
We are being freed from guessing. We know now.