Roger Barbee prompts us to remember Civics instruction, “… of which there are four main areas: Political Knowledge, Normative Values, Individualistic Civic Behavior, and Communal Civic Behavior. Put another way, Civics is the study of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.”

One of the many chants yelled by the insurrectionists on January 06, 2021, was “Do your job.” It was aimed at the Department of Justice because the mob members who screamed this chant believed that the lawyers of the DOJ were not helping in the “Stop the Steal” movement.

They, in their ignorance of basic 8th grade Civics, thought that the DOJ was an arm for the President, or something like that. Thus the chant, along with the more infamous one, “Hang Mike Pence.”

As far as I know, only nine states and the District of Columbia require any classroom instruction in Civics, of which there are four main areas: Political Knowledge, Normative Values, Individualistic Civic Behavior, and Communal Civic Behavior. Put another way, Civics is the study of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Now, the rioters of January 06, 2021 have the right to assemble and protest and to chant anything that makes them feel good. However, the words chanted reveal something of the chanters and when a chant reveals no understanding of political knowledge, that is a problem.

The traitors wanted the DOJ to do their [its] job, and it was. The ignorance of the chanting mobsters shows how much we need to teach our citizens the role of the branches of government.

As I have watched the January 06 Committee hearings, I am struck by the politeness.

Witnesses are not attacked or ridiculed or interrupted. Every participant is treated with civility, even the ones who “Plead the 5th .” There is no rancor in the hearing room, and the proceedings that I have watched show a deference to the teachings of basic Civics learned in individual and communal civic instruction. Discourse follows, and discovery happens.

The mob on January 06, 2021, transgressed on many levels. Perhaps had its members been better informed and educated citizens, their damage to our democratic republic would not have happened and some good would have been the result, not the catastrophe that was.

Roger Barbee