SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rioters tried to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 election results by storming the United States Capitol two years ago.
The Capitol was solemn as a moment of silence was held on the building’s steps Friday to remember the five people who died in the attack. Experts say we’re still feeling the impact two years later.
“We're still in the midst of Jan. 6, even though we're two years from that event, we are still seeing the effects of it right now with Kevin McCarthy,” said Cirian Villavicencio, a political science professor at San Joaquin Delta College.
McCarthy is the congressman from Bakersfield, California who was just elected after a very tense four days and 15 rounds of voting.
“His inability to get the votes he needs to become a speaker. And that's because you have a fringe group within the Republican party, who is seeking really to get their voices heard in the process,” said Villavicencio.
He says social media and how it’s used to spread ideas is another example of Jan. 6 impact on American politics.
“I think to your viewers, media literacy is so important. The way we consume our media, the way that we consume our politics, is so critical to how we participate in politics,” said Villavicencio.
He says when people have the right information, they’re able to participate in politics in productive ways rather than through violence.
“To actually have productive political discourse, so we can actually address the real problems, the real challenges that our society faces,” said Villavicencio.
There are some things people should be aware of going forward.
“When there's crises, typically what happens is conspiracy theorists will take advantage of that, they will take advantage of our fear, they will take advantage of our uncertainty,” said Villavicencio. “I would say the sort of extremist language that we continue to hear, will persist.”
He says people have to be aware of what’s going onto the internet, like misinformation and disinformation, and who it’s coming from.
“You have to double check your sources, you have to make sure that what you are consuming are the facts and there are facts out there,” said Villavicencio.
As a result of the Capitol riot two years ago, 140 police officers were seriously hurt. There is also word of a new lawsuit stemming from the death of an officer who defended the Capitol which also names former President Donald Trump.
