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How We Arrived At An Insurrection — And Where We Go From Here

Blink O'fanaye
/
Flickr / https://www.flickr.com/photos/blinkofanaye/50811723122/

Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021

Last week, a rioting mob of President Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the presidential election. Five people were killed, including a Capitol Police officer.

While shocking, many experts consider the event a natural result of months of provocation.

As the results of the November election rolled in, Trump wrongfully claimed that he won. Just before the riot on Wednesday, Trump toldhis supporters “we’re going to walk down to the Capitol… You have to be strong.” Later that day, he posted a video, saying, “This was a fraudulent election, but we can't play into the hands of these people… So go home. We love you. You're very special."

One political goal of the riot was to overturn the electoral vote count taking place that day. While the insurrection ultimately failed, 147 Republican lawmakers still supported at least one objection to the electoral count. Seven of North Carolina’s Republican U.S. House members objected at least once.

As the final days of Trump’s presidency are upon us, we ask where the state, and nation, goes from here.

GUESTS

U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, 12th Congressional District of North Carolina

Cynthia Miller-Idriss, professor of education and sociology at American University, director of research at Polarization and Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL) and author of "Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right"

Chris Cooper, Western Carolina University, head of the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs

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Jesse Steinmetz is Producer of Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins. Before joining WFAE in 2019, he was an intern at WNPR in Hartford, Connecticut and hosted a show at Eastern Connecticut State University.