ANALYSIS: He hopes students will see Jan. 6 as ‘not unlike 9/11’
The Harvard Law professor who co-authored a “what if?”-style graphic novel about the January 6 “insurrection” succeeding is sending free copies to every public high school in Pennsylvania.
Alan Jenkins, formerly president of the Harvard “social justice communication lab” Opportunity Agenda, and his co-author Gan Golan are giving out gratis copies of “1/6: A Graphic Novel” in order “to convey the risks facing American democracy,” The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
“The forces that led to that insurrection … the white supremacy, disinformation […] are all very still much with us,” Jenkins said.
He added that he hopes students will see January 6 as “not unlike the 9/11 terrorist attacks.”
Jenkins said he chose Pennsylvania because it’s faced a lot of book “bans.” He noted it’s possible “1/6” might get banned “but [he’s] ready for that.”
“We think the truth always is stronger than censorship,” he added.
But one may wonder how a completely fictitious tale of alternative history counts as “truth.” Here’s a sample from “1/6’s” first issue, according to the Inquirer:
[…] a society controlled by armed militias who take over a TV network — declaring it to be “an enemy of freedom.” At a “patriots parade,” a speaker blasts the “thugs and criminals from Black Lives Matter” while adherents repeat white nationalist slogans, with the phrases “Blood and Soil” and “I will not be replaced” in word bubbles. Dissidents work covertly, avoiding the militias enforcing curfew while transporting Electoral College ballots — “the last evidence of our democracy.”
And were there Confederate flags flying around DC on Jan. 6? Jenkins’ book features it on top of the Capitol and Lincoln Memorial.
MORE: The narrative lives on: Prof’s graphic novel asks what if Jan. 6 ‘insurrection’ had succeeded?
In the story’s second issue, “readers are taken through events leading up to and including Jan. 6 — starting with the 2017 [Charlottesville] ‘Unite the Right’ rally.” Jenkins’ “truth” includes the common — and devoid-of-context — Trump quote about “fine people on both sides” (Trump specifically condemned the neo-Nazis and white nationalists at the rally).
There’s also the missing-context phone calls to Georgia election officials in which Trump said “find 11,780 votes.”
Ironically, Jenkins (pictured) said he expects “pushback” regarding the comic as many Pennsylvania parents have accused schools of “indoctrinating” students.
The state’s high schools also will receive a supplementary “action guide” for “1/6” which “lays out facts” about the insurrection, election “deniers,” increases in hate crimes, and legislators “banning” books — “a hallmark of authoritarianism.”
Philadelphia-area schools did not respond to Inquirer queries about whether they would stock the book in their libraries or “how they would use it.” One district did note that “1/6” would first have to be reviewed by “a committee of librarians and administrators.”
Jenkins and Golan previously sent 150 copies to members of Congress who allegedly denied the 2020 election results.
According to his faculty page, Jenkins teaches courses on race and the law, communication, and Supreme Court jurisprudence. Along with his law degree, Jenkins has an MA in media studies and a BA in psychology and social relations.
MORE: Students sue for ‘adequate’ civics education; claim Jan. 6 was result of lack thereof
IMAGES: One Six Comics/X; Harvard
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