Standing on the Ellipse, positioned between the White House and the Washington Monument, I had the privilege of hearing President Donald Trump deliver an impassioned speech. He emphasized the necessity for strength and resilience in reclaiming our country, stating that weakness will not suffice. His belief that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen from him was reiterated to the crowd. Meanwhile, I observed individuals clad in fatigues and armed with Glocks scaling the trees surrounding the park. Over the loudspeakers, security announcements forbidding backpacks, chairs, and flagpoles echoed throughout the area. Rudy Giuliani’s presence on the podium incited further excitement from the crowd as he proclaimed, “Let’s have trial by combat.”
As I walked down Pennsylvania Avenue, passing by the Department of Justice, the chanting of “USA! USA!” reverberated in the air. Even Jacob Chansley, famously known as the “QAnon Shaman,” bellowed the word “FREEDOM!” as we made our way towards the steps of the Capitol building.
Nevertheless, I must clarify that I did not participate in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Instead, I partook in the January Sixth Experience, a unique Airbnb “experience” priced at $40, which guaranteed a comprehensive walking tour centered around the conspiracy and national security event of our generation. The hosts promoted the opportunity to witness iconic locations along Pennsylvania Avenue, from the White House to the Capitol, all while retracing the steps of the mob that attacked Congress.
I found myself in the company of four fellow participants, all wearing sensible walking shoes and clutching water bottles, as we followed the path of the insurrectionists on a cloudy day last month. Our knowledgeable guide, Kevin W. Smith, drew from his experience as a former U.S. intelligence analyst to provide an insightful perspective on the insurrection as a matter of national security. He likened the events of January 6 to the British burning of the Capitol in 1814, highlighting their significance. Within his backpack, a small Bluetooth speaker played speeches and chants from that day, while a binder filled with screenshots of tweets, maps, and images offered further visual aids.
As we attracted curious and occasionally disturbed glances from other tourists, it dawned on me that history has a tendency to repeat itself, manifesting as both tragedy and, in this case, a walking tour.
Opinions regarding January 6 vary considerably depending on whom you ask. Some view it as an existential threat to our democracy, while others see it as a farcical fascist comedy deserving of mockery rather than remembrance. President Trump famously described it as a “beautiful day.” Even Tucker Carlson, during his tenure on Fox News, aired selectively edited footage of the riot to distort public perception. According to him, those present were merely sightseers, not insurrectionists. To certain conspiracy theorists, the insurrection never even occurred.
Participants of the January 6 event have attempted to rewrite history as well. Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the Oath Keepers, stated at his sentencing hearing that he was a political prisoner. The judge promptly corrected him, emphasizing that his imprisonment was a result of his actions, not politics. Similarly, John Strand, who was caught on video forcefully entering the Capitol building on January 6 and subsequently convicted on multiple criminal counts, vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
The appropriation and misinterpretation of January 6 raises a critical question: how should we remember and memorialize that fateful day? Despite extensive media coverage, congressional hearings, a comprehensive report, and over 1,000 criminal charges, we, as a nation, have yet to reach a consensus on how to recount the story of January 6 and its aftermath. It is disconcerting that, as lead election correspondent for CBS News Robert Costa mentioned, January 6 has not firmly established itself in our collective consciousness as a significant event.
Smith, a former Republican turned independent, believes that the January Sixth Experience offers part of the solution. Drawing upon his background as a U.S. intelligence analyst, Smith has crafted a tour that examines the insurrection through the lens of national security. His firsthand experience of witnessing the events of January 6 from a secure room in Northern Virginia, surrounded by colleagues from the intelligence community, adds a unique perspective. Though the insurrection did not come as a surprise to Smith due to weeks of prior indications, he, like his colleagues, found it difficult to comprehend the magnitude of the events.
Smith leads the tour with the poised authority of a national park ranger. He has condensed vast amounts of information, social media posts, and other sources into easily digestible segments accompanied by engaging anecdotes. Since its inception on January 7 of this year, immediately following the two-year anniversary of the insurrection, Smith has conducted five tours. The funds collected through ticket sales will contribute towards enhancing the tour experience, including the acquisition of large-screen tablets for video playback and a louder speaker system. Eventually, Smith aims to hire additional guides.
Official tours of the Capitol can only discuss January 6 if explicitly asked, a policy that reflects a nation divided, unable to agree on facts and truth, and hesitant to confront the history of a day that threatened democracy. Smith finds this approach frustrating, questioning how one can simply ignore such a significant event. He believes it is essential to recognize and discuss the insurrection, rather than pretending it never occurred or engaging in pointless arguments.
Similar frustrations led the producers and writers of The Daily Show With Trevor Noah to develop their own tour. Recognizing a deliberate attempt by both parties to either forget, bury, or downplay the events of January 6, the show’s team created the “In the Footsteps of the Freedomsurrection” self-guided audio tour. Their goal is to prevent the true narrative of the insurrection from being lost, employing installations, stunts, and even a mock January 6 monument, much like the Trump Twitter presidential library, to achieve this.
The humorous approach employed by The Daily Show serves to highlight the absurdity of that day. Learning during the tour that Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri sold mugs featuring an image of himself cheering on the rioters left me dumbfounded, questioning the reality of such a claim. However, it is indeed true. According to Jen Flanz, executive producer of the program, “Here’s what happened, and this is why it’s funny.” Finding amusement in these events prevents us from succumbing to tears or outrage.
Walking tours offer a unique opportunity for clarity and understanding. Michael Epstein, an expert in place-based storytelling and founder of Walking Cinema, argues that certain complex issues like climate change and gentrification are challenging to grasp continually due to their overwhelming nature. However, presenting these narratives in an engaging and dynamic manner can unlock a new level of comprehension. Walking tours provide a “world-like” experience similar to immersing oneself in a captivating novel, as Epstein explains. According to Jocelyn Conn, a producer for The Daily Show, witnessing events firsthand offers an entirely different perspective compared to simply relying on television coverage.
As someone who has written extensively about January 6, I initially doubted the value of participating in a tour. However, the ambient sounds of the crowd and witnessing the physical remnants, such as the fallen wrought-iron light pole at the Capitol, added a fresh dimension to my understanding. Even listening to a Kimberly Guilfoyle speech in public seemed like a small price to pay for an authentic experience.
Nevertheless, walking tours possess inherent limitations in the context of the ongoing culture wars. When I first came across the January Sixth Experience, the name led me to believe it was a reenactment catering to the MAGA crowd rather than a meticulously researched endeavor aimed at combating disinformation. While there may indeed be individuals seeking such an experience, they have not found their way to Smith’s tour…
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