OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Critics were quick to clap back at Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday after she made what they saw as incredibly inappropriate comparisons to the riot at the U.S. Capitol Building one year ago.
Earlier, in remarks at the Capitol’s Statuary Hall, Harris said: “Certain dates echo throughout history, including dates that instantly remind all who have lived through them where they were, and what they were doing when our democracy came under assault.”
“Dates that occupy not only a place on our calendars, but a place in our collective memory: December 7, 1941, September 11, 2001, and January 6, 2021,” Harris added.
Democrats, including President Biden, have been using the Jan. 6 anniversary to beat up on former President Donald Trump.
Critics blasted Harris for using inappropriate references to historical events to which the Jan. 6 riot pales in comparison.
“Your ‘collective memory’ is drowning in exaggeration,” Tim Graham of the Media Research Center tweeted in response. “The ‘independent fact checkers’ are taking the day off on this hyperbole.”
Your “collective memory” is drowning in exaggeration.
The “independent fact checkers” are taking the day off on this hyperbole. https://t.co/KQHrZXRq6x
— Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) January 6, 2022
“VP Kamala Harris just equated the riot on January 6th to the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and the bombing of Pearl Harbor,” conservative Kansas radio host John Whitmer added. “These people are so asinine!”
VP Kamala Harris just equated the riot on January 6th to the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
These people are so asinine!
— John R. Whitmer (@JohnRWhitmer) January 6, 2022
Others pointed to the very disparate death tolls that were involved in the various incidents.
“The Capitol riot was bad, political violence is wrong, & people are being prosecuted for it,” Washington Examiner reporter Jerry Dunleavy wrote. “It wasn’t comparable to Pearl Harbor (2,403 sailors, soldiers, & civilians killed by the Japanese Empire) nor comparable to 9/11 (2,977 Americans & others killed by Al-Qaeda). Obviously.”
The Capitol riot was bad, political violence is wrong, & people are being prosecuted for it. It wasn’t comparable to Pearl Harbor (2,403 sailors, soldiers, & civilians killed by the Japanese Empire) nor comparable to 9/11 (2,977 Americans & others killed by Al-Qaeda). Obviously.
— Jerry Christmas 🎄🎅🏽 (@JerryDunleavy) January 6, 2022
“December 7, 1941: 2,300 Americans killed. September 11, 2001: 3,000 Americans killed. January 6, 2021: 1 American killed (Ashli Babbitt),” conservative host and commentator Ben Shapiro wrote.
December 7, 1941: 2,300 Americans killed
September 11, 2001: 3,000 Americans killed
January 6, 2021: 1 American killed (Ashli Babbitt) https://t.co/QgMqOxhkGi— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) January 6, 2022
“Comparing January 6th to Pearl Harbor is unhinged. Thousands of American [sic] were killed by the Japanese that horrible morning, and the war in the Pacific Theater had a death toll of roughly 30 million,” noted the Daily Caller’s sports and entertainment writer David Hookstead. “January 6th wasn’t good, but it didn’t result in a savage and brutal World War.”
Comparing January 6th to Pearl Harbor is unhinged. Thousands of American were killed by the Japanese that horrible morning, and the war in the Pacific Theater had a death toll of roughly 30 million.
January 6th wasn’t good, but it didn’t result in a savage and brutal World War. https://t.co/t73BzRcCm6
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) January 6, 2022
He added: “You can believe January 6th was bad, and at the same time believe it’s nothing like WWII, 9/11 or any other war. Two things can be true at the same time!”
You can believe January 6th was bad, and at the same time believe it’s nothing like WWII, 9/11 or any other war.
Two things can be true at the same time!
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) January 6, 2022
“Pearl Harbor- 2403 Americans killed, 9/11- 2996 Americans killed, #Jan6– 1 trespasser murdered, #KamalaHarris is a disgrace,” wrote Jim Hanson, the head of conservative nonprofit America Matters.
Pearl Harbor-
2403 Americans killed9/11-
2996 Americans killed#Jan6–
1 trespasser murdered#KamalaHarris is a disgrace https://t.co/Bvq39yB3MC— Jim Hanson (@JimHansonDC) January 6, 2022
“2,403 Americans died on Pearl Harbor and nearly 3,000 died on 9/11 in events that resulted in the U.S. going to war for the years that followed,” said Texas GOP congressional candidate Christian Collins, who labeled Harris’ claims a “Deeply delusional comparison from a deeply unserious person.”
2,403 Americans died on Pearl Harbor and nearly 3,000 died on 9/11 in events that resulted in the U.S. going to war for the years that followed.
Deeply delusional comparison from a deeply unserious person. https://t.co/D7gOGspP1v
— Christian Collins (@CollinsforTX) January 6, 2022
