The January 6th insurrection was one of the darkest days in the history of the country. Before the electoral college votes were certified, thousands of Trump supporters and white supremacists were attempting a coup to object to the election results. Violence ensued for over six hours and the American public witnessed things that were unthinkable. People of color, especially Black Americans were shocked to see the differences in how the government and police respond to riots.

While I was watching T.V., I couldn’t help but think of the Black Lives Matter protests that took place 6 months earlier and the vast contrast of treatment. If the protesters weren’t white, the Capitol building would have looked like a scene out of a war movie. Non-white protesters would not have been able to make it within 50 feet of any government building without facing tear gas, K-9 dogs, beatings, or actual bullets. The proof lies in American history books, but we were shown a current example of how white privilege is real, dangerous, and unfair. Some rioters have been sentenced to prison with very light sentences and some are facing trial. However, several prominent lawmakers, radio hosts, and news organizations have expressed their support for the rioters and have tried to erase the history behind the day. 

Since January 6th, our country has been tenser than ever before. This year, the 2022 midterm elections will reignite the flame that is American politics. The economy, COVID-19, civil rights, and global affairs are certain to make the ballot this year. They say every election is the most important, but this year seems to be pushing the U.S. to its absolute breaking point. A highly controversial President, north and south tension, and hot topic disagreements seem to be familiar to the last time the country went to war with itself.  Author Stephen Marche predicts that American Democracy could collapse by 2025 and be governed by a right-winged dictatorship by 2030. If the U.S. does not turn things around soon, we could be facing very dark days ahead.