In his book "Harbingers: What January 6 and Charlottesville Reveal about Rising Threats to Democracy," Timothy Heaphy makes one point clear early on: He's more concerned about political apathy than a crowd of angry rioters.
Heaphy, the lead counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives' investigation into the January 6, 2021, attacks on the Capitol, says that political division isn't just "left vs. right" anymore — it's about belief in institutions, too.
Distrust in institutions can cause angry reactions like those exhibited by Donald Trump's supporters on January 6. But it can also cause apathy, and that's what worries him more.
"If people are disengaged, if they stop paying attention, educating themselves, engaging in civic life or voting, that, to me, is a bigger, more systemic threat to democracy, one that we have to counteract," Heaphy told KCUR's Up To Date.
He'll speak Wednesday, April 23 at Rainy Day Books.
- Timothy Heaphy, author, "Harbingers: What January 6 and Charlottesville Reveal about Rising Threats to Democracy"
