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Commentary: Insurrection By Robert Hastings Updated: Jun 14, 2022 01:50 PM A A If you are monitoring the Congressional hearings about January 6th, you know it’s a one-sided made-for-TV event. In this Commentary, Larry Mendte gives the background about how that came to be a fact, what the motive might well be, and where this precedent could lead. Larry then offers his thoughts, and we invite you to watch and let Larry know if you agree or disagree. You can do that by writing Larry at [email protected]. One thing is clear: Trespassers into the Capitol on January 6th have already pled guilty to crimes including conspiracy, and just this month, more were indicted on charges of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will now prosecute and speak of the “seditious conspiracy” and the “insurrection.” For precise understanding of “seditious conspiracy” and “insurrection,” we turned to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Here’s how they explain the terms: In a monarchy, sedition might refer to actions instigating the removal of a king or queen. In a constitutional democracy, sedition and insurrection refer to inciting or participating in rebellion against the constitutionally established government, its processes and institutions, or the rule of law. In other words, in the United States’ democracy, violently overthrowing the government or its institutions is overthrowing the Constitution itself. One cannot commit sedition or insurrection to “overthrow a government” while still claiming to uphold and defend the Constitution. The U.S. government, the rule of law, and the Constitution are inextricably linked, and violent attacks on any of the three are not protected actions.