January 6: Incitement, Insurrection or Entrapment? Six Commentators Disagree
Ben Shapiro and Destiny argue over whether legal terms like incitement and insurrection fit, Sam Harris and David Pakman treat the day and the weeks before it as a grave warning, Dave Smith asks what federal agents were doing, and Andrew Callaghan reports what he saw of the people involved. Set side by side, they show that most of the dispute is over what the events mean and what to call them, with a smaller set of open questions about facts.
What sequence of events do the six commentators largely accept? Show answer
Trump made false claims about the 2020 election, pressed officials and his vice president, a crowd breached the Capitol, and the vote was certified anyway.
What does Destiny say was the goal of Trump's conduct? Show answer
To circumvent the peaceful transfer of power, through false claims, the alternate electors scheme, pressure on Mike Pence and finally violence to delay certification.
What two questions does Ben Shapiro separate? Show answer
The moral one, on which he says Trump acted wrongly, and the legal one, on which he says the tests for incitement and insurrection are not met.
What does incitement require, in Shapiro's account? Show answer
A call for immediate lawless action, such as telling someone to go punch a particular person.
Why does Shapiro say Trump's intent is hard to prove? Show answer
He believes Trump has a unique capacity to convince himself of whatever benefits him, so knowing falsehood is difficult to establish.
What lesson does Sam Harris draw from January 6? Show answer
That it was a near miss. The system relies on norms more than laws and was saved by a few people, so a more competent figure could exploit it.
How does David Pakman widen the frame? Show answer
He looks beyond the hours of rioting to the lead-up and to whether it changed what citizens consider on the table when they dislike an election result.
What line do Dave Smith and Joe Rogan draw about federal agents? Show answer
Between agents being present to watch for crime, which is reasonable, and agents provoking it. Smith presents questions, not evidence of an operation.
What did Andrew Callaghan report from filming the lead-up? Show answer
Less a conspiracy than a fever. He describes confusion and hurt pride, and says a Proud Boys leader told him he did not think the election was stolen.
Into what three kinds does the article sort the disagreements? Show answer
Disagreements about words, about facts not yet settled, and about meaning.
On what do Shapiro and Destiny both express unease? Show answer
Removing a candidate from the ballot. Shapiro rejects the legal theory, and Destiny thinks barring the leading opposition candidate is probably not healthy.
What limit does the article place on all six views? Show answer
They are commentators, not courts, and several spoke before the cases they mention were resolved.