The term “insurrection” has been used a lot lately in America. Let’s agree on what this term means.
The New American Dictionary defines insurrection as: “1. The act or an instance of open revolt against civil authority or a constituted government. or 2. A rising up; uprising. or 3. The act of rising against civil authority or governmental restraint; specifically, the armed resistance of a number of persons to the power of the state; incipient or limited rebellion.”
An open revolt. An uprising. An armed resistance to the power of the state. Insurrection is no joke. It’s a word that describes something serious. Something with force. An event where people take up arms with an intent to fight. An event where bloodshed is to be expected. These people are committed to overthrowing the power opressing them and will use violence if necessary. Maybe they expect to use violence. Maybe they are resigned to it.
You wouldn’t use the term “insurrection” to describe your average protest. Even if that protest involved flash-bangs, tear gas, looting and violence. That would still be called a protest. Maybe it would be called a violent protest. But you wouldn’t call it an insurrection, even if it was right in front of or inside of a government building.
Insurrection seems inextricably tied to the idea of overthrowing or forcibly removing a power deemed oppressive. Overthrowing. With violence, if necessary.
The American Revolution was an insurrection against the colonizers that forced their burdensome taxes and regulation on our colonies. It led to war and much bloodshed. Militias were armed. All of them. Heavily. They came to fight. They didn’t hold up signs and march. They didn’t chant slogans. They fought.
There have been many such insurrections over the course of our known world history. Where an oppressed people rise up against the powerful in an attempt to overthrow and regain power. Some have been successful, some have not. But all have had these ingredients — weapons, intent, violence.
According to the majority of media reports, the events on January 6 in Washington D.C. were an insurrection. Events of that day have been characterized as “the largest insurrection since the Civil War.”
Is that true? Is insurrection really the proper term? Words matter.
A viewing of actual footage from January 6 shows old people holding signs. It shows people orderly walking through the capitol building, staying inside of the ropes marked for visitors and taking pictures. The vast majority are completely unarmed. No firearms are displayed at all. No knives. No baseball bats. No batons. No weapons at all. These people are holding flags and signs…that’s it.
What’s more, they are peacefully walking through public buildings. These buildings are traditionally open to the public. They are tourist destinations. Because congress made the decision to lock the doors on that day, they were declared off limits. But the fact remains that the buildings are public and all Americans have an absolute right to walk inside.
And what was the intent? Why were these people at the capital at all? Were they planning on killing members of congress and installing their own government? Were they bloodthirsty revolutionaries?
Or were they citizens who worried that the election of 2020 was marred by fraud? Were they hoping to speak out in defense of a full audit of votes? Were they exercising their right to assemble and speak out in defense of their beliefs?
It might be nice if all Americans and friends of America would step back and understand the true nature of this event before using the word insurrection. For those that view the footage, look at the first hand accounts of protesters, and research the events of that day…call it an insurrection if you believe that to be the case. But not just because someone told you it was so. Only if you believe. Only if you see the evidence with your own eyes.
Do you think January 6 meets the definition of an insurrection? Share your thoughts and reasoning in the comments.
