Jericho March

Last updated
Jericho March
ClassificationPolitical and religious coalition
LeadersRobert Weaver
Arina Grossu

The Jericho March is a loose, pro-Trump, Judeo-Christian [1] coalition who pray, fast, and march for what they claim to be election integrity and transparency in response to Donald Trump's accusations of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, in which then-President Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden. Following this, people affiliated with the movement started fasting, praying, and marching daily around their state capitols, and sought divine intervention to overturn the election results. Other groups held their own independent events as part of the 2020–21 United States election protests.

Contents

Background

Former national security advisor Michael Flynn likened the protesters at Stop the Steal events to the biblical soldiers and priests breaching the walls of Jericho in the Battle of Jericho. [2] [3] Organizers of Stop The Steal and church groups urged supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump to participate in "Jericho Marches" and prayer rallies in Washington, D.C., to protest Trump's election loss and try to overturn the result. [4]

Jericho, as mentioned in Joshua 6, was a city of false gods and corruption. Just as Joshua and the Israelites were instructed to march around Jericho seven times, during the Jericho Marches, participants walked around seven times, praying, singing songs, and blowing shofars. [5] [6] The group engaged in a number of peaceful protests in the past, including at the Madison, Wisconsin Capitol building in November 2020. [7]

The group's co-founders are Robert Weaver and Arina Grossu. Weaver, an evangelical Oklahoma insurance salesman, was nominated by Trump to lead the Indian Health Service but withdrew after The Wall Street Journal reported that he misrepresented his qualifications. Grossu, who is Catholic, recently worked as a contract communications adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services. [5]

Some, such as conservative Orthodox Christian writer Rod Dreher, have argued that participants in the march were engaging in "Trump worship", akin to idolatry. [8] In National Review , Cameron Hilditch described the movement as such:

A toxic ideological cocktail of grievance, paranoia, and self-exculpatory rage was on display at the “Jericho March,” ... Their aim was to “stop the steal” of the presidential election, to prepare patriots for battle against a “One-World Government,” and to sell pillows at a 25 percent discount. ... In fact, there was a strange impression given throughout the event that attendees believe Christianity is, in some sense, consubstantial with American nationalism. It was as if a new and improved Holy Trinity of “Father, Son, and Uncle Sam” had taken the place of the old and outmoded Nicene version. When Eric Metaxas, the partisan radio host and emcee for the event, first stepped on stage, he wasn’t greeted with psalm-singing or with hymns of praise to the Holy Redeemer, but with chants of “USA! USA!” In short, the Jericho rally was a worrying example of how Christianity can be twisted and drafted into the service of a political ideology. [9]

Relation to the 2021 Capitol attack

Emma Green in The Atlantic blamed the Jericho March and other pro-Trump Christians for the storming of the Capitol building on January 6, 2021. [5] In response to the events, Jericho March said:

Jericho March denounces any and all acts of violence and destruction, including any that took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Jericho March has a history of totally peaceful marches and we have not, did not, and never will condone violence or destruction. Our mission is peace and prayer. It is the mission and goal of Jericho March to exercise and pray for our religious freedoms and other freedoms under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. [1]

In response to public reports of possible armed protests by violent groups through January 24, 2021, [10] Jericho March put out a second statement temporarily suspending "local self-led marches" for the security and safety of individuals and groups on prayer marches, adding: "Jericho March asks all people of faith to continue to pray and fast for unity and peace in our nation at noon every day from wherever they are." [1]

Inauguration of Joe Biden

In the weekend before the inauguration of Joe Biden, independent prayer groups continued to do their own peaceful prayer marches as they had done throughout. [11] The Jericho March in South Dakota "has met at the state Capitol every Sunday since the start of December, according to Bureau of Administration spokesperson Leah Svendsen. There have been no issues or arrests involving the Jericho Group during those events, Department of Public Safety spokesman Tony Mangan said." [12] One of the people who was interviewed said, "We're here to pray...The media has really gotten a lot of things wrong lately. We're just Americans with rosaries." [11] A local NBC station covered the story. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trumpism</span> American political movement

Trumpism is an authoritarian political movement that follows the political ideologies associated with Donald Trump and his political base. Scholars and historians describe Trumpism as a movement that incorporates a wide range of right-wing ideologies such as right-wing populism, national conservatism, neo-nationalism, and neo-fascism. Trumpist rhetoric heavily features anti-immigrant, xenophobic, nativist, and racist attacks against minority groups. Other identified aspects include conspiracist, isolationist, Christian nationalist, protectionist, anti-feminist, and anti-LGBT beliefs. Trumpists and Trumpians are terms that refer to individuals exhibiting its characteristics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inauguration of Donald Trump</span> 58th United States presidential inauguration

The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States marked the commencement of Donald Trump's term as president and Mike Pence's term as vice president. An estimated 300,000 to 600,000 people attended the public ceremony held on Friday, January 20, 2017, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. The event was the 58th presidential inauguration. Held in Washington, D.C., from January 17 to 21, 2017, inaugural events included concerts, the swearing-in ceremony, a congressional luncheon, parade, inaugural balls, and the interfaith inaugural prayer service. The inauguration was protested worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of protests against Donald Trump</span>

The following is a timeline of the protests against Donald Trump, the former president of the United States of America, businessman, and television personality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impeachment March</span> 2017 protests advocating for impeachment of US president Donald Trump

The Impeachment March, sometimes referred to as the "Impeach Trump" protest, was a series of rallies against the president of the United States, Donald Trump, held nationwide on July 2–4, 2017, advocating that Congress begin the impeachment process against him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patriot Prayer</span> American far-right political group

Patriot Prayer is a US far-right group founded by Joey Gibson in 2016 and based in Vancouver, Washington, a suburban city in the Portland metropolitan area. Since 2016, the group has organized several dozen pro-gun, pro-Trump rallies held in liberal cities in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Often met with large numbers of counter-protesters, attendees have repeatedly clashed with left-wing groups in the Portland area. Far-right groups, such as the Proud Boys, have attended the rallies organized by Patriot Prayer, as well as white nationalists, sparking controversy and violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demonstrations in support of Donald Trump</span> Demonstrations in support of President Donald Trump

Demonstrations in support of the presidency of Donald Trump were held in various parts of the United States following Trump's assumption of the office of President on January 20, 2017.

Matthew Maddock is an American politician in the Republican Party serving as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. His district, the 51st, represents areas covering part of Oakland County. In his first term, Maddock was appointed to be the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, as well as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. A Republican, Maddock was first elected in 2018. Prior to being elected to the 110-member Michigan House of Representatives, he was a businessman in Oakland County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Fuentes</span> American white nationalist (born 1998)

Nicholas Joseph Fuentes is an American far-right political commentator and live streamer who is known for his white supremacist, misogynistic, homophobic, antisemitic, and Islamophobic views. A former YouTuber, his channel was permanently terminated in February 2020 for violating YouTube's hate speech policy. Fuentes has promoted conspiracy theories against Jewish people, has denied the Holocaust, and advocates for the genocide of Jews. Fuentes identifies as a member of the incel movement, as a supporter of authoritarian government, and as a Catholic integralist and Christian nationalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Feucht</span> American Christian nationalist

Sean Feucht is an American Christian singer, songwriter, former worship leader at Bethel Church, and the founder of the Let Us Worship movement. He ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in California's 3rd congressional district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020–21 United States election protests</span> Nationwide protests in the aftermath of the 2020 United States election

Protests began in multiple cities in the United States following the 2020 United States presidential election between then-President Donald Trump and Democratic Party challenger Vice President Joe Biden, held on November 3, 2020. Biden won the election, receiving 81.3 million votes (51.3%) to Trump's 74.2 million (46.9%) and winning the Electoral College by 306 to 232. Biden's victory became clear on November 7, after the ballots had been tabulated. The Electoral College voted on December 14, in accordance with law, formalizing Biden's victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January 6 United States Capitol attack</span> 2021 attempt to prevent presidential electoral vote count

On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. They sought to keep Trump in power by occupying the Capitol and preventing a joint session of Congress counting the Electoral College votes to formalize the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. The attack was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the certification of the election results. According to the House select committee investigating the incident, the attack was the culmination of a seven-part plan by Trump to overturn the election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International reactions to the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span>

More than seventy countries and international organizations expressed their concerns over the January 6 United States Capitol attack and condemned the violence, with some specifically condemning President Donald Trump's own role in inciting the attack. Foreign leaders, diplomats, politicians, and institutions expressed shock, outrage, and condemnation of the events. Multiple world leaders made a call for peace, describing the assault as "an attack on democracy". The leaders of some countries, including Brazil, Poland, and Hungary, declined to condemn the situation, and described it as an internal U.S. affair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killing of Ashli Babbitt</span> 2021 shooting in the U.S. Capitol Building

On January 6, 2021, Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot during an attack on the United States Capitol. She was part of a crowd of supporters of then U.S. president Donald Trump who breached the United States Capitol building seeking to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Chansley</span> QAnon and January 6 Capitol attack figure

Jacob Anthony Angeli Chansley, also known as the QAnon Shaman, Q Shaman, and Yellowstone Wolf, is an American far-right conspiracy theorist, activist, and convicted felon who participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, for which he was convicted on charges of obstructing an official proceeding. He is a former supporter of former president Donald Trump and a believer and disseminator of the QAnon conspiracy theory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span>

The following article is a broad timeline of the course of events surrounding the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, by rioters supporting United States President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. Pro-Trump rioters stormed the United States Capitol after assembling on the Ellipse of the Capitol complex for a rally headlined as the "Save America March".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domestic reactions to the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span>

In the aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack, after drawing widespread condemnation from the U.S. Congress, members of his administration, and the media, 45th U.S. President Donald Trump released a video-taped statement on January 7 to stop the resignations of his staff and the threats of impeachment or removal from office. In the statement, he condemned the violence at the U.S. Capitol, saying that "a new administration will be inaugurated", which was widely seen as a concession, and his "focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly, and seamless transition of power" to the Joe Biden administration. Vanity Fair reported that Trump was at least partially convinced to make the statement by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who told Trump a sufficient number of Senate Republicans would support removing him from office unless he conceded. Kayleigh McEnany, the White House Press Secretary, had attempted to distance the administration from the rioters' behavior in a televised statement earlier in the day. On January 9, The New York Times reported that Trump had told White House aides he regretted committing to an orderly transition of power and would never resign from office. In a March 25 interview on Fox News, Trump defended the Capitol attackers, saying they were patriots who posed "zero threat", and he criticized law enforcement for "persecuting" the rioters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span>

The January 6 United States Capitol attack was followed by political, legal, and social repercussions. The second impeachment of Donald Trump, who was charged for incitement of insurrection for his conduct, occurred on January 13. At the same time, Cabinet officials were pressured to invoke the 25th Amendment for removing Trump from office. Trump was subsequently acquitted in the Senate trial, which was held in February after Trump had already left office. The result was a 57–43 vote in favor of conviction, with every Democrat and seven Republicans voting to convict, but two-thirds of the Senate are required to convict. Many in the Trump administration resigned. Several large companies announced they were halting all political donations, and others have suspended funding the lawmakers who had objected to certifying Electoral College results. A bill was introduced to form an independent commission, similar to the 9/11 Commission, to investigate the events surrounding the attack; it passed the House but was blocked by Republicans in the Senate. The House then approved a House "select committee" to investigate the attack. In June, the Senate released the results of its own investigation of the attack. The event led to strong criticism of law enforcement agencies. Leading figures within the United States Capitol Police resigned. A large-scale criminal investigation was undertaken, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opening more than 1,200 case files. Federal law enforcement undertook a nationwide manhunt for the perpetrators, with arrests and indictments following within days. Over 890 people had been found guilty of federal crimes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 United States inauguration week protests</span> Protests against the presidency of Joe Biden

Supporters of Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, held small-scale armed protests and demonstrations at U.S. state capitols in the five days leading up to the inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, in opposition to the results of the 2020 United States presidential election, which continued after the failure of the violent January 6 attempt to overturn the election in Trump's favor. Pro-Trump groups failed to stage organized dissent or affect the transition of power in an environment of deterrence and heightened security.

Alice Butler-Short was the founder of Virginia Women for Trump, an American advocacy group supportive of former American president Donald Trump.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ShutdownDC</span> Washington, D.C.–based activist organization, founded in 2019

ShutdownDC is an activist organization in the Washington metropolitan area. ShutdownDC formed originally in 2019 as a coalition of climate activists concerned with the climate crisis, aiming to snarl traffic in the city to demand action on the Green New Deal, and other climate-related issues. Since then, ShutdownDC has expanded their scope to advocacy via non-violent direct action on issues as diverse as abortion rights, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank's treatment of the Global South, and abolishing the filibuster.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Jericho Marches". Jericho March. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  2. "US election: Pro-Trump rallies see scuffles in US cities". BBC News . 13 December 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  3. "Trump riots: 65 days that led to chaos at the Capitol". BBC News . 10 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  4. Landay, Jonathan; Gardner, Timothy (13 December 2020). "Pro-Trump protests decry president's election loss, opposing groups clash in Washington". Reuters . Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 Green, Emma (8 January 2021). "A Christian Insurrection". The Atlantic . Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  6. Farley, Harry (15 January 2021). "Trump's Christian supporters and the march on the Capitol". BBC News . Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  7. "Watch now: Trump supporters' 'Jericho March'". madison.com . Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  8. "Bad News for Evangelicals—God Doesn't Need Donald Trump in the White House". The Daily Beast . Retrieved 2021-01-23 via www.msn.com.
  9. Hilditch, Cameron (18 December 2020). "Christianity as Ideology: The Cautionary Tale of the Jericho March". National Review . Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  10. "The FBI warns of possible armed protests at all 50 state capitols on Saturday". NBC News . Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  11. 1 2 Vondracek, Christopher. "Only protest at South Dakota Capitol a peaceful one, only traffic block caused by geese". Grand Forks Herald . Retrieved 2021-01-23. Also published at: Vondracek, Christopher. "Only protest at South Dakota Capitol a peaceful one, only traffic block caused by geese". The Mitchell Republic . Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  12. "Jericho March, a pro-Trump Christian group, plan event at South Dakota Capitol Sunday". Argus Leader . Retrieved 2021-01-23 via www.msn.com.
  13. "Peaceful prayer march held in Pierre". KNBN NewsCenter1 . 2021-01-17. Retrieved 2021-01-23.