UC Irvine Political Science Faculty
Statement on the Events of Jan. 6, 2021
Statement condemns insurrection at the United States Capitol
As faculty in the University of California, Irvine Political Science Department, we
condemn the insurrection that occurred in our nation’s capital on January 6, 2021.
The survival of democracy depends on the ability of elected officials to peacefully
assemble, debate and vote on laws. Yet on Jan. 6, an armed mob illegally broke into
the Capitol, destroyed federal property, sought to disrupt the certification of presidential
election results and targeted elected officials themselves. Today, six people are
dead. Many more are injured. And some members of Congress are now testing positive
for COVID-19 after hiding out in close quarters with unmasked colleagues.
We acknowledge and condemn key drivers of these events: white nationalism and white supremacy. White nationalism is an extremist but by no means fringe ideology aimed at maintaining
the social, legal and political subjugation of non-whites. The insurrection featured
many symbols of white nationalism: a noose, the confederate flag, swastikas, racial
epithets, references to the Holocaust, and more. We are further troubled by the differential
treatment afforded to last week’s rioters compared to Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists
this past summer and in years past. And we acknowledge that the very democratic institutions
that were attacked last Wednesday are themselves in part products and perpetrators
of systemic racism.
We similarly condemn all calls that have been and continue to be made to incite political
violence and condemn efforts to challenge the facts surrounding the 2020 presidential
election. There continues to be no evidence of systematic voter fraud. We believe
that calls by the President and other elected officials to “fight” threaten peace,
undermine our democracy and degrade Americans’ trust in our democratic institutions.
Finally, we know many of our students, colleagues and staff may be feeling confused,
scared, and/or upset during what is already a stressful time due to the pandemic and
its consequences. Here is a list of UCI resources that may be helpful to our community
in the aftermath of these devastating events.
Resources for learning more
Resources for your mental health
- If you feel recent events are impacting your mental health, we hope you consider making
an initial appointment with the UCI Counseling Center by calling (949) 824-6457.
- The Counseling Center also offers group services. There are two options: group therapy
(which requires you to complete an initial assessment appointment with the Counseling
Center) and workshops (which have no such requirement -- you can click on the Zoom
link to join). There is a schedule of group meetings and workshops available here. There is no expectation that you attend other ones in the series so you can join
anytime.
Resources for your mental health
Signed:
Daniel R. Brunstetter
Simone Chambers
Louis DeSipio
Sara Wallace Goodman
Heidi Hardt
Claire Jean Kim
Jeffrey Kopstein
Ines Levin
Erin Lockwood
Cecelia Lynch
Mary McThomas
Kevin Olson
Davin Phoenix
Charles Anthony Smith
Etel Solingen
Michael Tesler
Danielle Thomsen
Keith Topper
Samantha Vortherms
