Historian Timothy Snyder offers lessons on what could happen if those who enabled the attack on our democracy don’t face consequences. 

President Biden was just inaugurated and many Americans are eager to turn the page into a new era. But many are still processing the January 7th U.S. Capitol riot. In this segment from our colleagues at The Brian Lehrer Show, Timothy Snyder, professor of history at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, offers historical context for the attack on our democracy.

COMPANION LISTENING:

“MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause” (11/16/20)

Historian David Blight on the past and potential future of white supremacist mythology.

“A Zombie Political Party” (10/19/20)

Kai talks with Charlie Sykes, a leading voice in the anti-Trump conservative movement, about the old roots of Trumpism in the Republican Party.  

“The United States of Anxiety” airs live on Sunday evenings at 6pm ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts. To catch all the action, tune into the show on Sunday nights via the stream on WNYC.org/anxiety or tell your smart speakers to play WNYC.

Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at [email protected]. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.

Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.