Some moments are etched in our memories forever, even if we wish they weren’t. Think back to September 11, 2001. I was in the sixth grade, and while I didn’t grasp the full impact at the time, that day transformed our lives irrevocably. The same can be said for January 6, 2021. Unfortunately, many individuals continue to deny the reality of that day.
If you’re unwilling to confront the truth of what transpired, you might as well stop reading here. There’s no clever twist to soften the blow. During their testimonies, brave individuals like Officer Ramirez, Sergeant Lopez, and Officer Carter repeatedly posed a critical question: Why is it so difficult to acknowledge the truth?
It’s been over seven months since that day, and we still lack answers for these heroes and the nation that watched in horror as home-grown terrorists attacked. Yes, I said it: terrorists—not just protestors or rioters, but terrorists, period. To those who still refuse to grasp the severity of these events, I ask: why is it so hard to accept this reality?
The Unvarnished Truth
Like countless others worldwide, I was glued to my screen, horrified as I witnessed events that seemed only possible in history books. Such chaos doesn’t typically occur in democracies; it’s a hallmark of authoritarian regimes. Yet, it happened, and its effects continue to ripple through our society today.
The trauma goes beyond visible injuries and surgeries; it leaves lifelong emotional scars that may never heal. Did you know Sergeant Lopez served in combat? He drew a haunting comparison during his testimony, stating, “I volunteered to navigate IED-laden roads… But on January 6th, I was more terrified in the Capitol than during my entire deployment.”
Officer Ramirez, who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, recounted the chaos: “As a violent mob surrounded me, they tore off my badge and snatched my radio. I heard them chanting, ‘Get his gun and kill him with it.’” Can you even begin to fathom that level of fear? Despite his pleas for empathy, declaring he had children, he suffered grievously—experiencing a heart attack, concussion, and PTSD, among other injuries.
The testimonies didn’t get any easier. Officer Carter, who was caught in the mayhem, was literally pinned between a door frame and the mob, which coordinated their efforts to trample him. I can still hear his desperate cries for help echoing in my mind.
Officer Dunn also endured a dual assault—not only was he attacked for doing his job, but he faced additional violence because of his race. This should come as no surprise; the rhetoric that incited those actions has been perpetuated for years by certain public figures.
It’s Time to Face the Truth, Regardless of How Uncomfortable It Is
Many participants in the insurrection felt validated in their actions due to the toxic narratives circulating. This is the most significant challenge we face seven months later. While some politicians refuse to acknowledge the truth, we don’t have to accept their lies.
Officer Ramirez articulated it well: “Many people I risked my life to defend are downplaying or denying what happened. I feel as if I went through hell to protect them, but many now say that hell doesn’t exist or that it wasn’t so bad.”
It’s outrageous for anyone to minimize the trauma experienced by these courageous individuals. Heart attacks, surgeries, and physical injuries aside, the emotional toll they bear is unparalleled. Just last week, we learned that another defender of the Capitol took their own life. Yet, some people still claim it wasn’t that serious. Some have even suggested that the day’s events were an FBI setup—seriously?!
I can’t help but feel infuriated reading through these absurd theories; however, I refuse to get drawn into that rabbit hole. What we must focus on is how to move forward as a nation.
A Call for Truth and Accountability
How do we process these harrowing stories? Can we achieve any form of reckoning that brings justice for the treason committed that day? To begin, we can heed Officer Ramirez’s call to Congress: tell the truth. There’s nothing complicated about being honest. If admitting your role in enabling such behavior makes you uncomfortable, good—it should. The silver lining is that discomfort can lead to positive change.
Make sure your representatives understand your condemnation of such actions. It’s their duty to amplify your voices. We must send a clear message: when terrorists, whether domestic or foreign, attack our nation, there must be consequences. You cannot force others into submission simply because a certain individual is unhappy with the results.
These individuals are so detached from reality. Officer Ramirez has shared threatening voicemails from supporters of the former president—how shocking is that? I won’t waste space quoting these individuals directly, but I will say that Congress cannot subject these trauma survivors to further public scrutiny without taking action. We must not allow our country to forget the magnitude of that day’s treason or let it go unpunished. Acknowledge the truth, hold individuals accountable for their actions, and strive to move forward as best we can.