One year after January 6th, Americans more divided than ever.

77% of Americans say the country is more divided than ever before. Now, in the one-year aftermath of an attempted insurrection at the Capital of the United States, Americans differ on what happened that day, and why it matters.

By: Mo Gerstley

When a foreign terror group launched an unprecedented attack on America in September of 2001, the US response was swift, and the corresponding reaction internally from citizens within America had been one of unity. A response akin to that was of the assassination attempt on the then-40th President Ronald Reagan. When Reagan was shot by John Hinkley Jr. a mentally compromised individual in March of 1981, Reagan was briskly rushed to George Washington University Hospital, in which he was prepared for emergency surgery, before which he allegedly quipped to the doctor, “I hope your a Republican,” to which the Doctor responded, “Mr. President, today we are all Republicans” an historical moment of unity and concord. It is certainly a typical reaction from Americans to react with that manner of unification following a devastating attack launched by outside influences. But what happens if that outside source, isn't outside it all? What if, America became the central target to a domestic terror group, or groups, that by utilizing their utter rage at a political outcome they had deemed “unfair,” they prompted an insurrection at the seat of the US Government. On January 6th 2021, that “If” became a devastating reality. Radical Trump supporters enraged by the words spoken by the President and his close allies in a controversial rally blocks away from the capital, marched towards Constitution Avenue, before thousands of the radical revisionists ascended to the Capital on January 6th 2021, a day that would quickly become a constantly uttered phrase by Left-Wing media, in their attempt to use the tragedy for political gain. It was certainly a bad look for the GOP, but the swift condemnation of the President by Republican politicians in the immediate aftermath of the attack, allowed for a possible civil future to ensue in America. Instead, however, the party split, with some taking a more brazen approach to their condemnation, and others silent in their fear of losing a major voting block who had been solely focused on their di-heart support for President Trump. It then caused radicals in congress like Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, and Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to begin the widespread whitewashing of the event. Now, some Republicans deny its severity, others acknowledge it, but go to the extreme in the overreaction, that grants them high-levels of media traction. The divide in the Republican party is not the only one. The dems continue to suffer because of their own failed policies and feuds with the extreme. It is all this, along with an obliviousness on both sides to acknowledge the real needs of America that stokes unprecedented division, and maybe if congress members started paying attention to what Americans actually think, then we wouldn't be as divided.