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While I have been a fan of Wallace Baine for a long time, his article “At January 6 event in Salinas, America’s political chasm takes center stage” dangerously downplays the seriousness of the Jan. 6, 2021, brutal attack on the U.S. Capitol, police officers and congresspeople, and the ongoing threat it represents to democracy. By framing the event as a simple political divide rather than an attempted insurrection led by violent extremists, Baine risks lending credibility (and the rewriting of factual history) to a movement that openly embraces authoritarianism and white nationalism.
The individuals featured in this event were not “innocent bystanders” caught up in a misunderstanding — they were convicted criminals, found guilty in a court of law for their actions that day. They attacked police officers, disrupted a constitutional process and actively sought to overturn a legitimate election. For Baine to suggest that there is some moral equivalence between these insurrectionists and the protesters opposing them is both misleading and naive.
His description of the event inside the hall as “warm” and the attendees as “nice” ignores the fact that these same individuals proudly reject democracy and celebrate their role in an attempted coup. That some were unapologetic and even willing to repeat their actions should have been a key focus of the article, not an afterthought. Being pardoned by a criminally and civilly convicted felon of a president is a travesty and perversion of justice.
There are not “two sides” to this issue in the way Baine implies. One side is fighting like hell for our democracy. The other is trying to dismantle it. Journalism should call this out clearly, not muddy the waters with false balance. And Lookout, by printing this, you lose credibility as well. This article is beneath you.
Amie Forest
Capitola