Is a Civil War Ahead?

David Remnick and others on the anniversary of the Capitol insurrection and the future of American democracy. View in browser | Update your preferences Thursday, January 6, 2022 In today’s newsletter: • David Remnick on the anniversary of the Capitol attack • The January 6th criminal case against Donald Trump • The Russian memory project that became an enemy of the state Is a Civil War Ahead? A year after the attack on the Capitol, America is suspended between democracy and autocracy. Photograph by Peter van Agtmael / Magnum Not long ago, arguments that the United States faced episodic political bloodletting, or even the risk of civil war, might have been categorized as alarmist. But, as David Remnick writes, the storming of the Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump, a year ago today, and a Republican Party that “bows to its most autocratic demagogue and no longer seems willing to defend democratic values and institutions” show that the country is in a perilous place. Remnick speaks to scholars of global political instability to make sense of where we are, and where we might be headed. Read the story here. Daily Comment The January 6th Criminal Case Against Donald Trump Could the former President face prosecution for his role in the Capitol riots? By David Rohde From the Archive: The Capitol Attack A Reporter at Large Among the Insurrectionists The Capitol was breached by Trump supporters who had been declaring, at rally after rally, that they would go to violent lengths to keep the President in power. A chronicle of an attack foretold. By Luke Mogelson Video Dept. Footage from Inside the Capitol Siege Luke Mogelson followed Trump supporters as they forced their way into the Senate chamber, using his phone’s camera as a reporter’s notebook. By The New Yorker Comment When Will January 6th Be Over? Donald Trump, in trying to obstruct the investigation into the Capitol riot, is fighting not only to impose his view of the past but to insure his political future. By Amy Davidson Sorkin Daily Comment What Should We Call the Sixth of January? What began as a protest, rally, and march ended as something altogether different—a day of anarchy that challenges the terminology of history. By Jill Lepore Editor’s Pick How Can the Press Best Serve a Democratic Society? Illustration by Golden Cosmos “The decline of truth in American democracy can feel irreversible,” Michael Luo writes. “But any hope of halting that decline must include a renewal of journalism’s commitment to its public responsibility, and with an examination of how its methods might adapt to new circumstances.” Read more of our special series The Future of Democracy. More News & Culture News Desk The Russian Memory Project That Became an Enemy of the State Two courts have ordered the shutdown of Memorial, a human-rights organization that documents the history of Soviet state terror. By Masha Gessen Onward and Upward with the Arts Bridget Everett Is Larger Than Life The comedian survived waitressing, karaoke, and the alternative-cabaret circuit before creating and starring in her autobiographical series, on HBO. By Michael Schulman Fun & Games Dept. Name Drop Play Today’s Quiz Can you guess the notable person in six clues or fewer? By Matt Jackson Daily Cartoon Thursday, January 6th By Jason Adam Katzenstein Daily Shouts Tips for Safely Hosting Your Elderly Father Definitely don’t desert him on a random bench in the park. By Phoebe Helander Daily Shouts County Health Office News Release: Beach-Water-Use Advisory Advisory in effect until Monday, or whenever the Hell mouth closes. By Julie Sharbutt P.S. The tennis star Novak Djokovic was detained overnight at an airport in Melbourne, while officials reviewed the details of a COVID-vaccine exemption he’d been granted to compete in the Australian Open. Nearly a decade ago, Lauren Collins wrote about Djokovic’s immense athletic talent and charisma, but also about something in his personality that longs for public adoration that seems always just out of reach. Today’s newsletter was written by Ian Crouch. Thanks for reading. Let us know your thoughts about today’s edition. Plus, browse more newsletters and invite a friend to sign up for The Daily. You’re receiving this e-mail because you signed up for The Daily from The New Yorker. Manage your preferences | View our Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2022. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.