One Year Later, Americans Describe the Capitol Insurrectionists as “Stupid,” “Idiots,” “Terrorists”

In the immediate wake of the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, we asked Americans how they would describe those people who stormed the Capitol. At the time, the most common word Americans used to describe people involved in the storming was, by far, “terrorists.” People also frequently used words like “stupid,” “criminals,” “crazy,” “disgusting,” “idiots,” “traitors,” and “horrible.” Since then, however, there have been attempts by some conservatives to paint the insurrectionists in a more positive light. At the same time, investigations into the event are ongoing. How are Americans thinking about the insurrectionists one year later? CONTINUED

Mia Costa (Dartmouth) & Brian Schaffner (Tufts), Data for Progress


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