Its been three and a half years since supporters of Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol building in an attempted insurrection, and blockheads like Marjorie Taylor Greene continue to excuse the democracy-threatening events that unfolded on January 6, 2021.
In Greene’s case, it makes a lot of sense. After all, if she were to acknowledge the genuinely criminal nature of what occurred on Jan. 6, she’d have no choice but to implicate herself. As such, she’s essentially got no choice — as a woman with far more interest in saving her own skin than in actually aiding the country — but to declare the rioters “patriots” and ignore the piles of evidence suggesting otherwise.
Greene was at the head of the pack, despite her freshly-elected status, when claims of a “stolen election” became the MAGA rallying cry near the end of 2020. She was also a major culprit in the events of Jan. 6, which saw American citizens challenge the electoral process that serves as the backbone of our democracy, and storm our nation’s Capitol.
In the years that have passed since that historic day, Greene and her ilk have done everything in their power to reshape the narrative. The people that forced their way through doors, injured Capitol police, and chanted for the death of the Vice President weren’t rioters, thugs, or terrorists — the very same words used to describe Black Lives Matter protesters just months earlier — but patriots, protestors, and jilted voters.
That same narrative continues to drench Greene’s language when she discusses the violent events of that day, something she does anytime her approval rating starts to dip. She knows she can pull support from that very specific corner of extremist America, and she’ll do so every time if it means another term in office.
As such, Greene once again returned to her blatantly false Jan. 6 narrative during a mid-June Turning Point Convention in Michigan. Speaking to a crowd in an outfit that looks like it came from the MeMaw section of Taylor Swift’s clothing line, Greene brazenly attempted to reshape history with little success. She even went so far as to claim that Jan. 6 “protestors” did “what was right” in storming the Capitol, and stated that they are “allowed to” push back on electoral results as they see fit.
She’s technically right, but her assertion has a few notable exclusions that are glaring for anyone with eyes, ears, and a working brain. Peaceful protests are, in fact, an inherent right in a democracy, and something that many people choose to engage in when their elected representatives fail to properly do their jobs. You know what’s not legal, however? Inciting an insurrection at the nation’s Capitol, bringing the threat of death to our elected leaders, and engaging in action that ultimately leads to the loss of life. Every one of those actions are illegal, and they were all perpetrated by the very same people Greene dubs “patriots.”
It’s hard work, rewriting history, and Greene’s been at it for years. She’s seen little success for her efforts, but there is a section of America that’s starting to lose clarity on the hugely impactful events of that day. Make no mistake, rampant crimes were committed on Jan. 6, 2021, and if those rioters hadn’t been stopped, far more would have followed. The same people Greene praises in her speech were chanting for Mike Pence — the VP at the time — to be “hanged” due to his decision to allow democracy to persist, and they would have seen the threat through if people like Greene had their way.
