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A plea for unbiased levelheadedness

“Trump extremists crossed the line” and “Was Jan 6 just a warm-up action?” are two recent headlines in The Aspen Times, while national media outlets have all agreed to label the Capitol rioters “insurrectionists.”

I wrote last week about another plague sweeping the planet: Self-Righteous Confirmation Bias 2020 or SRCB-20. This mental virus is not limited to how you view a health crisis like COVID-19. Unfortunately, those who suffer from SRCB-20 view all events and relationships through this lens, so while cities burned all summer, some people rationalized that those “extremists” who were looting stores, storming local and state government buildings, and generally encouraging violence were justified in their actions because the system has failed them. However, when a group with a different political perspective has “extremists” who also believe the system has failed and begins taking violent action, it all the sudden becomes the worst thing to ever happen in our country.

First, violence is never the answer. I do not condone those who stormed the Capitol. I also do not condone the rioters all summer across the U.S. See what happened there? I did not pick a side or justify either sides’ actions. I have my SRCB-20 under control. It is a very liberating thing not being forced to defend a side. Unfortunately, in our polarized world, stating a universal principle like “violence is not the answer” is crazy talk.



Here is a quick litmus test to determine if you have SRCB-20: Do you justify storming the Capitol because you believe the election was stolen, but condemn the BLM/Antifa riots? Do you willfully ignore video evidence of a BLM leader actively participating in the Capitol riots, while condemning the Trump extremists of storming the Capitol?

Let’s stop spinning and justifying the actions of extremists on both sides, unite that violence is never the answer, and have healthy debate on facts. Unfortunately, I’m not too hopeful because 1) SRCB-20 is potent, 2) politicians/media often have the most severe cases and 3) the only known cure is intense self reflection.




Chase McWhorter

Carbondale

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