The right to life, liberty and to abolish government Alt-right extremists, following conservative politicians, have also drawn succour from the Constitution, particularly when it comes to their “rights”, such as the right to free speech and bear arms. These and other rights were not actually enumerated in the original Constitution, but rather tacked on in the Bill of Rights a set of ten amendments passed to appease opponents of the Constitution and get it ratified. These rights are fused together with the more vague yet “unalienable” rights enunciated in the 1776 Declaration of Independence chief among them being the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.
The alt-right, QAnon, paramilitary and Donald Trump-supporting mob that stormed the US Capitol on January 6 claimed they were only doing what the so-called “founding fathers” of the US had done in 1776: overthrowing an illegitimate government that no longer represented them.
This was the start of what they called the “second American Revolution”.
This is why the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag was visible in the chaos a symbol of resistance that dates back to the (first) American Revolution and was resurrected a decade ago by Republican Tea Party activists.
It is not hard to understand the appeal of this history to Trump’s followers. The era of the “founding fathers” has always loomed large in the minds of most Americans. And stories about the past are, after all, how individuals, families, and communities small and large, make sense of themselves.
Why some Trump supporters believe there’s another American Revolution coming
The mob that stormed the US Capitol on January 6 claimed they were only doing what the Founding Fathers had done in 1776. Jan 15, 2021 · 09:30 pm A supporter of US President Donald Trump carries a Confederate battle flag on the second floor of the US Capitol. | Mike Theiler/ Reuters
The alt-right, QAnon, paramilitary and Donald Trump-supporting mob that stormed the United States Capitol on January 6 claimed they were only doing what the so-called “founding fathers” of the US had done in 1776: overthrowing an illegitimate government that no longer represented them.
This was the start of what they called the “second American Revolution”.