Interview With A Rioter

Like millions of others around the world, I sat in front of my computer and watched as the US President’s rally to “Save America” from his declared enemies devolved into a riot involving thousands of his supporters who laid siege to the Capitol Building and left 5 people dead.

According to Trump’s devoted base, the events of January 6th, 2021, were just the beginning of a civil war, one intended to restore power to Donald Trump, who they believe is the rightful winner of the Presidential Election which saw Trump lose to former Vice President, Joe Biden.

Why?

Because Donald Trump told them so. Without any tangible evidence and despite a landslide of facts that demonstrate the US Election was secure and the result valid, Trump Supporters have seeming departed reality and entered an alternative universe where truths are negotiable and chaos is justice.

In the aftermath of the tragic events I discovered that, by only three degrees of separation, I knew someone who had attended the events that day. After a few missives using a mutual go between, they agreed to speak with me on the condition of anonymity, fearing legal or social retribution.

They assert that they were in attendance, not to collude with other Trump supporters in pursuit of engaging in a historic act of terror, but to support the President…