Politifact: Prof. Copeland Weighs in on Lies Protecting Jan. 6th Insurrectionists
Every year, Politifact chooses one false political statement as “Lie of the Year.” 2021’s winner occurred at the beginning of the year, but its ramifications will define United States history for years to come: that the January 6th Capitol attack was not a big deal. BUSSW Prof. Phillipe Copeland explains that the deluge of lies surrounding the January 6th insurrection are an attempt to rewrite history in white supremacists’ favor.
Excerpt from “The 2021 Lie of the Year: Lies About the Jan. 6 Capitol Attack and Its Significance” by Angie Drobnic Holan, Bill McCarthy, and Amy Sherman, originally published in Politifact:
‘Because Jan. 6 was not successful, now they have to rewrite history and in some cases they were doing that in 24 hours, saying you didn’t see what you saw,’ added Phillipe Copeland, clinical assistant professor at Boston University School of Social Work.
So far, the consequences for what happened before, during and after Jan. 6 have been limited to rioters like the ‘QAnon Shaman’ who were charged or sentenced for storming the Capitol.
Political leaders and pundits, on the other hand, are going about business as usual. Trump, acquitted in the Senate for a second time, may run again in 2024. McCarthy is angling to take back the speakership. Carlson remains one of the most-watched cable news hosts on TV.”