1. What's going on here?
2. How did we get here?
3. Where do we go from here?
4. What are you wondering? Feeling? Considering?
A lot has happened in the last few days in this country.
Using these pieces of media from PBS, Heather Cox Richardson and various photos from the Capitol, please look through the media and slideshows, and then take about 15 minutes before you begin writing.
--This can be narrative, emotional, analytical, or any other type of writing you feel comfortable producing.
--Your classmates can view your answers.
--There is no "right" or wrong" way to interpret any of these pieces of media, but please interpret them somehow and be willing to support your ideas with a well reasoned idea.
This is a great place to ask questions, to consider what you're hearing from the media, in your family, from others. This is a good place to "get comfortable being uncomfortable" and maybe, even perhaps, ponder the meaning of life. Big ideas are throughout all this media--Freedoms, Protests, Civil Rights, Truth, Race, White Supremacy, Privilege, Patriotism, Humanity--Consider those as your write.
I also, as an older person, want to emphasize to you that this sort of situation that happened this week in our country is a big deal-a VERY big deal. This will be a day and a moment, not unlike 9/11 where you will remember what you were doing, where you were forever on January 6, 2021. Anyone who is trying to tell you that yesterday didn't matter, does not know about their history, and does not understand the many layers that brought us to this moment. It's not just about Trump by any stretch of the imagination.
In case I don't say this enough--I know you can do this, and do this well. I also believe in you.
Summary: the nation on Wednesday witnessed a grave breach of its democratic traditions. For the first time in American history, supporters of the losing presidential candidate forcibly disrupted the official counting of the electoral votes.
A violent Pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress certified electoral votes. Earlier in the day, Trump spoke at a rally where he urged supporters to march to the Capitol to demand that the results be overturned.
Some Republicans in both chambers declared that they would object to the counting of some states where Trump lost his closest races to Biden, but before individuals forcefully entered the building, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell delivered a forceful rebuke to the idea that Congress could or should attempt to overturn the election.
After rioters forcefully entered the building, Trump tweeted a recorded message telling people to, "Go home now," while repeating false claims about the election (as per 64 court cases).
5 people including a Capitol Police Officer died.
Lawmakers were evacuated to secure locations around the Capitol. Later Wednesday night, they resumed the constitutionally mandated count.