It’s January 6, and this will be the first time in our nation’s history that this calendar date has any real significant meaning. Unfortunately, this meaning is nothing but dark and disturbing, as it’s one of the most disgraceful days in American history. And The Simpsons actually simulated it a quarter-century ago.
On this the first anniversary of January 6, 2021, we’re realizing that this calendar date will now be like September 11 or December 7- days that live in infamy. These are three specific days in which America was attacked by vicious, desperate enemies clear in their intent for blood. But one year ago that call to take human life came from inside the house.
Thanks for the plug, which is driving a lot of clicks to my article on the Holocaust Museum.
That should increase visitors to the museum, and help further spread their message.
Be proud of the part you played! https://t.co/UfGpV3Fd8Y— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) January 5, 2022
While the grunts, who worked on the base level of this domestic terror network have been largely rounded up and subjected to the judicial process, the ringleaders have not. What’s worse, they’re still in power in the United States Congress!
Beyond that, the propagandists who created and spread The Big Lie have suffered no repercussions.
They are still out there, spreading dangerous misinformation and disinformation.
Webster's defines "cretin" as "a stupid person."
Maybe you're right.
Or maybe the Fulbright scholarship and the MBA I earned are right.
I don't know, since you're such an awesome and brilliant human being, it's a really tough call https://t.co/T72ltBm9Rz— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) January 5, 2022
I am currently in a Twitter fight with one of them, in Sebastian Gorka.
Why a man with 1.1 million followers on Twitter, who was appointed to the U.S. Department of Defense by the 45th President of the United States, feels the need to stay engaged in a Twitter beef with me all week is beyond my comprehension.
(But then again I’ve also been blocked on Twitter by Meghan McCain and Dana Loesch so I must be doing something right).
It's not "some museum," you Nazi-sympathizing grifter troll.
It is an amazing, edifying, emotionally powerful museum, and I encourage everyone to visit.
Read my review of their latest special exhibition: https://t.co/VpplbnP2r8 https://t.co/hbjk9BldID— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) January 4, 2022
Gorka, who has deep ties, going back at least one generation to a Nazi-adjacent group, was a Deputy Assistant to President Trump and a counterterrorism expert. Yet I find him extremely easy to defeat in debates on historical and sociopolitical topics.
Scary that a man this unimpressive, all around, rose to such a high position in our national government.
Again though Gorka should have better things to do than social media scrap with me, as he’s currently suing to keep his cell phone records from being subpoenaed by the January 6 committee. As one does when they have nothing to hide, and are completely innocent of any wrongdoing.
Attorney General Merrick Garland states that 725+ suspects have been arrested, in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, in connection with the January 6 insurrection. The Department of Justice claims it will be the biggest investigation of any kind, ever.
However, they’re only nabbing the tail end of the snake; they’re nowhere near the head.
“You know, we have thoughts and prayers, eight different ways,” Jon Flannery former Federal Prosecutor and Special Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, said on The News with Shepard Smith tonight.
Capitol rioter, Jenna Ryan compared attacks on her like people calling her ‘Insurrection Barbie’ to treatment of ‘Jews in Germany’
Why are these right-wing Nazis always downplaying the Holocaust? https://t.co/fGAkiUd3Hr
— Brad Bo ?? (@BradBeauregardJ) January 4, 2022
“But we don’t have any action. This is one year after … and not a thing has been done about the people who planned it and profited from it…”
The Foot Soldiers
Yes, there was literally a shirtless moron in a viking helmet grunting weird noises in the upper chamber of Congress one year ago today. He got his, as did stealing the podium guy and putting his feet on the desk of Nancy Pelosi guy. (His photo actually prompted a major foreign newspaper to run a headline “Who’s the Banana Republic Now?” and that was a slam we absolutely deserved.
Then you have the woman labeled Insurrection Barbie, and well, Jenna Ryan is a lot of things, but she certainly doesn’t resemble Barbie. The Texas real estate broker, who posted every crime she committed, and called as much attention as possible to them on social media, is currently in Federal prison.
Okay, so they’ve rounded up the cretins at the bottom of the pyramid, but….
The Ring Leaders
Senator Ted Cruz is still in power, but at least today, finally, he referred to January 6 as a terrorist attack on the capital. So he’s flipped now, but he’s still the man who gave the all-time most obviously harmless nerd trying to be a tough guy speech ever, exactly one year ago. He still helped egged this on, and he needs to pay for that.
Lauren Boebert (who tweeted the House Speaker’s position out in the midst of the insurrection, posted her support for the coup before, during and after) and Marjorie Taylor Greene are still in the house of representatives. Matt Gaetz and Jim Jordan aren’t going anywhere, and haven’t suffered the consequences of their actions.
Then you have Mr. Fist-Pumpy Josh Hawley, keep an eye on him, as he’s potentially the worst of the worst in this entire lot. We’ll get to why in the ending.
The Self-Loathing Paradox
The vicious mob was out to hang Mike Pence and kidnap Nancy Pelosi. The noose was even constructed and publicly visible. Yet Pence still won’t renounce Trump or Trumpism. His political career is over and yet he still can’t say anything bad about his boss who literally tried to get him killed!
He’s like a real life version of the swamp castle lord in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” who told us “now, now, let’s not bicker and argue about who killed who.” But at the same time, Pence is dare I say a hero, simply because he did his job.
He held up his oath to the constitution, partially because the better Republican VP from Indiana, Dan Quayle, advised him to do so. Who knew, Quayle would be dare I say it again a hero.
The Boss Enemy Level
Obviously, this is about the Trump crime family, and that starts with the Don of the clique himself. Don’t forget Don Jr. (who engaged in faux tough guy posturing) and all the treasonous garbage he spouted at the Stop the Steal rally.
Other speakers at the rally like Rudy Giuliani (“let’s have trial by combat”) and Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks (“kicking ass and taking names”) are still out here walking around among us, despite urging on the traitorous mob.
No Accountability Now Means They’ll Try it Again
It all adds up to
1. an idea that if you don’t like the outcome of an election, don’t believe it really happened and instead fight to overturn it
2. Another attempted coup, but this time they bad guys might win. If the first attempt isn’t properly punished, there is no deterrent from another insurrection.
Hawley is the one to watch, because he’s just as amoral and self-obsessive as Trump, but he’s not a total blathering idiot like Mango Mussolini is. Hawley won’t telegraph his every move like the MAGA godfather and his army of idiots do. He’s polished and media savvy.
An obvious, spoiled rich kid elitist, he’s shown that he’s more than intelligent enough to play a down to Earth everyman on TV.
Unfortunately, he pulls it off too. While the other members of the Q-Anon, January 6 wing of the Republican party are too stupid, weird or already been exposed as a loser and/or fraud to lead the next treasonous insurrection attempt.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.