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ABE WON’T BE SILENT - On January 6, 2021, the United States witnessed something unimaginable—the violent breach of the U.S. Capitol by a mob convinced they were defending democracy. But in truth, democracy bled out on the steps of that historic building. For most of us, this isn't an anniversary to celebrate. It's a somber reminder of the day America teetered on the edge of losing itself.
The irony though is there are people who mark this day with pride. Terrible people. People that should not be allowed to call themselves Americans. People no better than the Islamists who want to globalize the intifada. Yes, I said that. A day etched into history as an attack on our democratic institutions is, for some, a badge of honor. And now, the man at the center of it all, Donald Trump, not only ran—again but somehow won the damn presidency—again!
How did we get here? How did we reach a point where the fragility of democracy became a point of celebration for some, rather than a dire warning for all?
A new documentary, Fight Like Hell, directed by Jon Long, offers an unfiltered look at the events surrounding January 6. Available for free on YouTube, the film uses raw, never-before-seen footage of the "Stop the Steal" movement leading up to that fateful day. There's no narrator telling you how to feel. The images speak for themselves, and what they reveal is chilling.
Watching it, you can't help being reminded of the MAGA movement fueled by misinformation, resentment and fear turned into something far more dangerous. America voted for Joe Biden because he ran on the platform that he would 'Save the Soul of America,' yet, in the end, he didn't live up to that campaign promise.
Hence, we are here, on the eve when a soulless group of wannabe dictators, namely Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy eager to do the bidding of their chief benefactor—The Donald. Democrats are huddling behind their social media platforms wondering what catastrophes lay ahead. Perhaps with good reason, yet, I for one prefer to live by the words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “There’s nothing to fear but fear itself.”
Democracy may not have failed that fateful; it sure was brutally assaulted. And the scars remain. Though the majority of those who voted in November somehow forgot what happened or worse, didn’t care and voted for him anyway.
Fight Like Hell reminds us that January 6 wasn't just about the physical attack on the Capitol. It was a symbolic assault on the principles that define this country. It laid bare the divisions that threaten to pull us apart. And as we stand here today, on the eve of the Trump 2.0 candidacy, the lessons of January 6 seem to grow more urgent by the hour.
We don't need to wait for history books to tell us this was—and is now again—a turning point. We are living it. The question isn't whether Trump will destroy our democracy—it's whether we will every learn from our mistakes and the apathy festering in our electorate. That 19 million people chose not to vote for Kamala Harris speaks volumes. Apathy being just one excuse.
So, no, January 6 isn't a day to celebrate. It's a day to remember, to reflect, and to recommit ourselves to rethinking our strategy that doesn’t seem to work anymore. If we don't, the next January 6 might not end with broken glass and a breached Capitol. It might end with something far worse. Cue the enemy within, those who want to “globalize the intifada.”
Watch Fight Like Hell. See the footage for yourself. And then, let's fight like hell to make sure we never see another day like it.
(ABE GURKO is the executive producer of a documentary “Won’t Be Silent,” about the extraordinary Women of Protest Music. He's an Opinionator who hosts a podcast, "Won't Be Silent," engaging in conversations from the edge of democracy. Abe is a contributor to CityWatchLA.com. [email protected])
