Crash Course: Jan. 6 Anniversary Edition

Plus: Joe Rogan's latest controversy none Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgph1tTZ1mEsndHJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Written by [Brett Bachman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0QhaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuVwNzcGNCCmHW1NnWYSyd0clSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). none none The Capitol riot, one year later Time flies when you're worrying about the collapse of American democracy. Just one year ago, throngs of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to stop the certification of President Joe Biden's electoral victory. Much of the past 12 months in American public life has been dedicated to figuring out what exactly went wrong — and how to prevent another coup from happening in the future. Many have opined in recent days that we've been living in a perpetual state of insurrection. That's because all of the forces that led to the events of Jan. 6 have, more or less, continued on unabated. The former president is still fundraising off false claims of election fraud and working to elect true believers in the place of Republicans who chose not to support his election subversion attempts. A large segment of the conservative media has spent the past year calling rioters "political prisoners" and echoing Trump's false claims. All the while, the Republican Party apparatus remains hell-bent on passing ultra-restrictive voting measures that research shows will disenfranchise minority and low-income communities at disproportionate rates. And those are just the things happening in plain sight. Today, Salon is taking a look at all the ways Jan. 6 lives on. Our brand-new investigative reporter Kathryn Joyce has a look at the way [Christian nationalism drove the insurrection](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDYvaG93LWNocmlzdGlhbi1uYXRpb25hbGlzbS1kcm92ZS10aGUtaW5zdXJyZWN0aW9uLWEtcmVsaWdpb3VzLWhpc3Rvcnktb2YtamFuLTYvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHW1NnWYSyd0clSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) — and how belief continues to animate a large chunk of the MAGA faithful. "It was evident to anyone watching that there was this religious character to what was going on," one religious scholar told her, adding that religious extremism has long been "built into the fabric of American life." Contributor Gaby Goldstein has a prediction of her own: "The next Jan. 6 will happen in the state houses." Call it [the election subversion two-step](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDYvdGhlLWluc3VycmVjdGlvbi13aWxsLWJlLWRlY2VudHJhbGl6ZWQtdGhlLW5leHQtamFuLTYtd2lsbC1oYXBwZW4taW4tdGhlLXN0YXRlLWhvdXNlcy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo): - Make it (much) harder to vote - Change state laws so that partisan actors can interfere with election processes or reject election results outright, just in case Columnist and long-time White House correspondent Brian Karem was at the Capitol one year ago, and [writes of his firsthand experience watching the theater of that day](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDYvaS13YXMtdGhlcmUtZm9yLXRoZS1kYXktdGhhdC1wb2lzb25lZC1hbWVyaWNhLS1hbmQtaS10aGluay13ZS1jYW4tc3RpbGwtcmVjb3Zlci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) — equal parts absurd and frightening, with attendees both incredibly self-obsessed and bloodthirsty. Karem, however, maintains that there's a "path back to reality" — though it will require, well, consequences for those responsible. "Hold their feet to the fire," he writes. "Prosecute them. Make them accountable. Then go and embrace your neighbor, who's not so different from yourself — even if they're wearing a different color shirt and cheering for a different team." (Photo via Getty Images) none none Fox News' Jan. 6 problem Drip... Drip... Drip... That's the sound of news trickling out from Congressional investigators looking into the events leading up to the attempted insurrection. The most recent revelations: [Fox News host Sean Hannity repeatedly tried to rein in the former president](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvaGFubml0eXMtamFuNi10ZXh0cy1yZXZlYWxlZC1mb3gtbmV3cy1zdGFyLWZyYW50aWNhbGx5LXRyaWVkLXRvLXJlaW4taW4vP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHW1NnWYSyd0clSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) both before and after Jan. 6, texting advice and coordinating messaging with Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, as well as others within the White House. One text message from Dec. 31 reads: "We can't lose the entire WH counsels office. I do NOT see January 6 happening the way he is being told. After the 6th. He should announce will lead the nationwide effort to reform voting integrity. Go to Fl and watch Joe mess up daily. Stay engaged. When he speaks people will listen." Just one day before the Capitol riot, Hannity even wrote to Meadows that he was "very worried about the next 48 hours." Then, following Jan. 6, he tried unsuccessfully to stop Trump from pushing his false claims of election fraud. Another message to Meadows reads: Guys, we have a clear path to land the plane in 9 days. He can't mention the election again. Ever. I did not have a good call with him today. And worse, I'm not sure what is left to do or say, and I don't like not knowing if it's truly understood. Ideas? The difference between these behind-the-scenes conversations and the election conspiracy theorizing Hannity was engaging with on the air has been the subject of much debate this week. Salon's Heather Digby Parton writes that "it's quite clear he wasn't acting as any kind of journalist," despite his lawyer's well publicized "First Amendment concerns." [Learn more about Sean Hannity's involvement in the lead-up to Jan. 6](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvZm94LW5ld3MtaGFzLWEtamFuLTYtcHJvYmxlbS1zZWFuLWhhbm5pdHlzLXRleHQtbWVzc2FnZXMtbWFrZS1jbGVhci1oaXMtY29tcGxpY2l0eS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Photo via Getty Images) none - Trump abruptly cancels [planned Jan. 6th anniversary speech](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvYWJydXB0bHktY2FuY2Vscy1wbGFubmVkLWphbi02dGgtYW5uaXZlcnNhcnktc3BlZWNoLXRocm93cy10ZW1wZXItdGFudHJ1bV9wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph1tTZ1mEsndHJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - From the Bundys to the Rotunda: How [allowing far-right terrorism to fester](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDYvZnJvbS10aGUtYnVuZHlzLXRvLXRoZS1yb3R1bmRhLWhvdy1hbGxvd2luZy1mYXItcmlnaHQtdGVycm9yaXNtLXRvLWZlc3Rlci1sZWQtdG8tdGhlLWNhcGl0b2wtcmlvdF9wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph1tTZ1mEsndHJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) led to the Capitol riot - Interview: Trumpism is rooted in [twisted visions of medieval Europe](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDYvdHJ1bXBpc20taXMtcm9vdGVkLWluLXR3aXN0ZWQtdmlzaW9ucy1vZi1tZWRpZXZhbC1ldXJvcGVfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - In South Africa, COVID cases fall as fast as they rose — suggesting [the omicron wave could be brief](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SOaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvaW4tc291dGgtYWZyaWNhLWNhc2VzLWZhbGwtYXMtZmFzdC1hcy10aGV5LXJvc2Utc3VnZ2VzdGluZy10aGUtb21pY3Jvbi13YXZlLWNvdWxkLWJlLWJyaWVmLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph1tTZ1mEsndHJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - After [Chicago public schools cancel classes,](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvYWZ0ZXItY2hpY2Fnby1wdWJsaWMtc2Nob29scy1jYW5jZWwtY2xhc3Nlcy1jb25zZXJ2YXRpdmVzLWxhc2gtb3V0LW92ZXItcmVzdHJpY3Rpb25zLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph1tTZ1mEsndHJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) conservatives lash out over COVID restrictions - Reports of Norman Mailer’s cancellation have been [greatly exaggerated](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0RLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvbm9ybWFuLW1haWxlci1jYW5jZWxsZWQvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHW1NnWYSyd0clSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - Anti-vaxxers are already [trying to co-opt Betty White's death](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0RLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvYW50aS12YXh4ZXJzLWJldHR5d2hpdGUvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHW1NnWYSyd0clSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) to spread disinformation - Jon Stewart said [Harry Potter goblins are Jews](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvam9uLXN0ZXdhcnQtaGFycnktcG90dGVyLWdvYmxpbnMtamV3cy1qay1yb3dsaW5nLWFudGlzZW1pdGljLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph1tTZ1mEsndHJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), but adds, "I do not think JK Rowling is antisemitic" - Brian Sicknick’s partner: Lindsey Graham was “very disrespectful” in [meeting with Jan. 6 officers](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvYnJpYW4tc2lja25pY2tzLXBhcnRuZXItbGluZHNleS1ncmFoYW0tdmVyeS1kaXNyZXNwZWN0ZnVsLWluLW1lZXRpbmctd2l0aC1qYW4tNi1vZmZpY2Vycy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Gal Gadot [finally acknowledges](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvZ2FsLWdhZG90LWltYWdpbmUtY292ZXItcG9vci10YXN0ZS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) her viral, pandemic cover of “Imagine” was in “poor taste” - And, finally, try this [impossibly cheesy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvcmVjaXBlLWltcG9zc2libHktY2hlZXN5LW9uZS1wb3QtY29weWNhdC1oYW1idXJnZXItaGVscGVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph1tTZ1mEsndHJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) one-pot copycat Hamburger Helper Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0QgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL25ld3NsZXR0ZXJXA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) to receive Crash Course. none How worried should we be of a second civil war? It's no longer the stuff of fantasy — sitting members of Congress are [calling for red state secession and "national divorce,"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SEaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMzAvbWFyam9yaWUtdGF5bG9yLWdyZWVuZS1zdWdnZXN0cy1iYW5uaW5nLWRlbW9jcmF0cy1tb3ZlLXRvLXJlZC1zdGF0ZXMtZnJvbS12b3RpbmcvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHW1NnWYSyd0clSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) threatening to rend the country in two if their demands for single-party rule are not met. In the Republican party, there are now two factions, Salon's Amanda Marcotte writes: Trump and the establishment wing of the GOP. The only thing it appears they disagree on is whether violence helps or hurts them. Institutional Republicans have fully come on board with Trump's plan to steal the 2024 election. But they remain conflicted with Trump over whether or not violence is the best way to make that happen. Trump gets caught up in his violent fantasies, which he correctly believes are shared by a huge chunk of his base. Republican leaders, however, feel that stuff backfires. Arguments like the one floated by Graham suggest they think it will be easier to end democracy with paperwork, rather than guns. They are busy rewriting state election laws so they can throw out any results they find displeasing, all while pretending to be a normal political party to the media, so that they don't get called out on it. The idea is to gut democracy in such a way so that the majority of Americans don't even know it happened. Violence interferes with that plan. The scariest part? It remains unclear who will win this battle for the heart of the GOP. [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvYS1zZWNvbmQtY2l2aWwtd2FyLW9uZS15ZWFyLWFmdGVyLXZpb2xlbnQtaW5zdXJyZWN0aW9uLWhvdy13b3JyaWVkLXNob3VsZC13ZS1iZS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). none - "‘Thematically richer than the Bible’: what I learned at the first annual Boss Baby symposium," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL2N1bHR1cmUvMjAyMi9qYW4vMDUvdGhlbWF0aWNhbGx5LXJpY2hlci10aGFuLXRoZS1iaWJsZS13aGF0LWktbGVhcm5lZC1hdC10aGUtZmlyc3QtYW5udWFsLWJvc3MtYmFieS1zeW1wb3NpdW1XA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Exclusive: USDA Secretary Vilsack’s Son Now Works for a Controversial Ethanol Pipeline Project," [Mother Jones](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubW90aGVyam9uZXMuY29tL2Zvb2QvMjAyMi8wMS91c2RhLXNlY3JldGFyeS12aWxzYWNrLWplc3Mtdmlsc2Fjay1ldGhhbm9sLXBpcGVsaW5lLXN1bW1pdC1jYXJib24tc29sdXRpb25zL1cDc3BjQgph1tTZ1mEsndHJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "How the Pandemic Supercharged Suburban Sprawl," [City Lab](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0S6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmxvb21iZXJnLmNvbS9uZXdzL2ZlYXR1cmVzLzIwMjItMDEtMDUvYS1zdXBlcm5vdmEtb2Ytc3VidXJiYW4tc3ByYXdsLWZ1ZWxlZC1ieS1jb3ZpZD91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249c29jaWFsZmxvdy1vcmdhbmljJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9dHdpdHRlciZ1dG1fY29udGVudD1jaXR5bGFiJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09c29jaWFsVwNzcGNCCmHW1NnWYSyd0clSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "‘90 Day Fiancé’ star retires from selling farts after heart attack scare," [The New York Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0ShaHR0cHM6Ly9ueXBvc3QuY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDQvdHYtc3Rhci1zdGVwaGFuaWUtbWF0dG8tc3RvcHMtc2VsbGluZy1mYXJ0cy1hZnRlci1oZWFsdGgtc2NhcmUvP3V0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1Tb2NpYWxGbG93JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09U29jaWFsRmxvdyZ1dG1fc291cmNlPU5ZUFR3aXR0ZXJXA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "F.B.I. Arrests Man Accused of Stealing Hundreds of Unpublished Book Manuscripts," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMS8wNS9ib29rcy9wdWJsaXNoaW5nLW1hbnVzY3JpcHRzLXBoaXNoaW5nLXNjYW0tZmlsaXBwby1iZXJuYXJkaW5pLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKYdbU2dZhLJ3RyVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) none none Joe Rogan's latest anti-vax controversy Joe Rogan is back in the headlines again — this time, for an inflammatory New Year's Eve interview with infectious disease scientist-turned-anti-vaccine provocateur Dr. Robert Malone. YouTube removed clips from the episode (No. 1757, if you're wondering) following online backlash, particularly over Malone's comparison of U.S. public health authorities to the German Nazi Party during its rise to power in the 1930s and '40s. "Our government is out of control on this and they are lawless," Malone told Rogan. "They completely disregard bioethics, they completely disregard the federal common rule, they have broken all the rules that I know of that I've been trained on for years and years. These mandates of an experimental vaccine are explicitly illegal." Malone had already been banned from Twitter earlier in the week for repeatedly running afoul of the platform's COVID-19 misinformation policy. Needless to say, the "censorship" did not sit well with Rogan's audience, which rushed to decry Big Tech for the perceived infringement. [Learn more about Dr. Robert Malone and the online backlash to his controversial statements](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0SWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMDUvam9lLXJvZ2Fucy1sYXRlc3QtY29udHJvdmVyc3kteW91dHViZS1zY3JhcHMtY29udHJvdmVyc2lhbC1wb2RjYXN0LWVwaXNvZGUtd2l0aC1hbnRpLXZheC1zY2llbnRpc3QvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHW1NnWYSyd0clSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). (Photo via Getty Images) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, 19801 DE [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmHW1NnWYSyd0clSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjuV7TP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgph1tTZ1mEsndHJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)