Pro-Trump protesters erected a makeshift gallows outside the Capitol building. The crowd appeared to retreat from tear gas deployed to disperse them. (Tyler Merbler from USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
January 6 was, as President Deborah Turner of the League of Women Voters of the U.S. said, “a dark day in the history of the United States of America.” Domestic terrorists attacked our nation’s Capitol, seeking to invalidate the outcome of the election. President Trump’s message to his followers to “march over to the Capitol” to “take back our country” by reinstating his presidency empowered violent agitators to break into our Capitol, destroying everything in their way. I felt sickened as I witnessed the unfolding fury and violence.
As I was watching the news coverage of the siege on the domed building that stands as a shrine to democracy, with all the emotions that affected me, my thoughts went back to my days of teaching young people. I thought “How is this affecting young people? How are they feeling as they watch the violence that is being portrayed before me? What message is this sending? How are young people reacting? Do they realize what this means—that our very democracy is being attacked?”
I decided I was going to get some insight. I obtained permission from a few parents to interview their children to learn young people’s reactions to the events of January 6. I wanted just to listen to them as they told me of their reactions. I tried not to lead them in any way to come up with set answers. Among the questions I asked: What did they see? Why did it happen? How did they feel? Did they talk about it with others—their friends, their teachers? When someone had a lot to say, I asked that young person to give me three words that best described their feelings. Here’s what they had to say.
Emma, age 16 (high school sophomore)
I didn’t comprehend what was happening at first. As I watched, I was numb. Why was this? In a democracy, someone’s going to win, and someone loses. President Trump played a big role in getting them to go to the Capitol to start this big mob riot. Three words that describe my feelings: DISGRACE, SAD, and FRUSTRATED that they would do that.
Evelyn, age 14½ (high school freshman)
When I first saw the TV, I tried not to look away and tried to figure it out. I knew they had guns and things; didn’t know how many died. When I checked in on my own to see if the senators were safe, I thought, “How ironic and how scary that this is how the system works. We learn that the United States is built on a democracy and yet to see a powerful person instigating violence against the senators, who were just trying to certify this peaceful transfer of power. Democracy is defined as the people get to choose, and he didn’t accept that.” [She identified the powerful person as Trump.]
I talked with teachers and my mother more and realized there is a double standard. How crazy, we talked about how different it would look if it was a BLM [Black Lives Matter] protest. He [President Trump] had the national guard come out for the BLM protest, but not for this riot. I hope the outcome will be that people realize that the feud between Democrats and Republicans has become violent—never let this happen again.
When asked about a future career, Evelyn said: I want to be a writer or a teacher or a scientist, but the more I learn about politics I want to be involved—be a politician of some sort to make a difference.
Three words to describe your feelings about what happened? SCARED, MOTIVATED, and SHOCKED. Motivated to get involved in the world—I want to have a say in what goes on, doing something about climate change or be an ambassador.
Kira, age 13 (eighth grade)
First thought that came to mind? It was crazy and unthinkable. I felt kind of numb. Heard about protesting in downtown L.A., so worried more.
Describe what you saw: Videos of people breaking windows—going into chambers; guy climbing. Real chaos—almost like an alternate universe—shouldn’t happen here.
Why are they doing this? Congress was verifying the count of the election. I thought it was a fair election. We are normalizing violence. Put in clearest terms, they tried to violently protest the results of an election. They should be charged. At least they should be charged for breaking in.
Did you have chats with friends? Most agree that it is sort of insane. When BLM marched, there were 14,000 arrested then; less at the Capitol. The President didn’t send out the National Guard but did send them for BLM.
What are you thinking of for a career? I want to be an author. [This event] has emphasized problems in this country; I need to do something. Volunteer to do political stuff.
Natalie, age 12 (sixth grade)
First thought that came to mind? Confused—didn’t know what it was about. Knew electoral count was taking place. Senate was counting electoral votes at the Capitol. Chaotic…. They were upset about who had won within a few states. Social media probably organized the rioters.
Three words to describe your feelings about what happened? CONFUSED, SHOCKED that it was happening, IRRITATED because of no masks.
Beckkham, age 10 (fourth grade)
When you first saw it, what did you think? I felt a little bit nervous; also, I wondered if they were pro Trump or pro Biden.
What were they doing? Rioting at the U.S. Capitol. I heard they killed someone.
Your reaction? I thought they should have done a less violent protest. It wouldn’t have done damage if they did.
Who was responsible? The people who rioted. They thought that Trump should have stayed in office. Don’t think about it anymore.
Hudson, age 11 (fifth grade)
What did you think? I thought it was weird to see people attack the Capitol. They are risking their lives just to support Trump. The police came; one got killed and others got hurt.
Surprised that adults would act like that? They acted like rowdy kids to get what they want.
Seidy, age 18 (high school senior)
I was in class when news broke out that there was an invasion of the Capitol. It was disappointing that an invasion was even allowed to happen. It was saddening that America is heavily divided. Above all, the reaction our president had to the invasion was angering. I hope that America’s future will be completely different and unified more than it is now.
The children I spoke to shared my own reactions: confusion, disappointment, fear. I was encouraged that several rejected violence while recognizing that peaceful protest is our right, and that some are motivated to become involved in social issues as a result. The children hoped for unity and the peaceful resolution of our differences. Even the youngest were aware of this significant event and had opinions on the cause and impact of what occurred on January 6. Their thoughts and concerns can guide us in helping young people understand our system of government and their role in supporting democracy.
—Dorothy L. Keane and Florence Nelson
