“We must remain uncomfortable with what happened that day and the trauma it caused. We cannot grow complacent and we must move with the urgency this moment demands.”
BOSTON, MA – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement on the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection.
“One year ago, the nation watched in absolute horror as a violent, white supremacist mob—incited by Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers’ hateful rhetoric and dangerous lies—attacked our seat of government. The attack was a blatant attempt to silence the will of the people, particularly the record number of Black and brown voters who made their voices heard in the 2020 election. Today, one thing remains painfully clear: white supremacy continues to threaten our democracy, our communities and everyone who calls America home.
“The January 6th insurrection was traumatic for everyone involved, from custodial and food service workers, journalists, Capitol police officers, to Congressional staff and members of Congress alike. As a Black woman in America—to experience the ancestral trauma of a violent white supremacist mob seizing the building, brandishing Confederate flags and erecting a noose on the capitol grounds was all too familiar—and tragically, the threat remains today. The same white supremacist threat fuels efforts by our Republican colleagues—many of whom supported and incited this attempted coup—to continue spewing lies and misinformation about the 2020 election results. It fuels the coordinated assault on our sacred right to vote. None of this is by happenstance.
“In this moment, we do not have the luxury of simply turning the page on this ugly and painful chapter in our nation’s history. To heal our collective trauma, to protect our communities, defend our democracy and ensure an attack like this never happens again, there must be accountability. I am grateful for the work done by Chairman Thompson and the January 6th Committee. The American people deserve to know exactly what happened that day and the Biden Administration must use the full weight of the presidency to investigate, prosecute and hold everyone involved accountable—including those in the previous Administration and sitting Members of Congress. And we must abolish the Jim Crow filibuster and pass meaningful voting rights legislation to protect our democracy and keep power in the hands of the people.
“Our work to root out white supremacy in all of its forms, safeguard our democracy, and protect the wellbeing of our communities is far from finished. We must remain uncomfortable with what happened that day and the trauma it caused. We cannot grow complacent and we must move with the urgency this moment demands.”
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