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a few years ago, I slowly began doing a bit of preliminary research and reading for a project tentatively called "Going to Washington." My intention at the time was that this would eventually become a third or fourth (ha!) book accompanied by public-facing work 1/9
This was born out of an ongoing interest in the kinds of ideas (and misconceptions) folks hang onto this city. I wanted to trace those out and see how they changed over time. 2/9
the idea was to follow the history of four loosely-defined categories of visitors to Washington--tourists, appointees, protestors, militia. The archive was expansive: personal papers, organization records, but also fiction and cinema. 3/9
I was--and am--most interested in comparison across these categories: so, a person who first comes to Washington as a protestor, and then an appointee. Or how tourist experience and assumptions influences protest or paramilitary activity. 4/9
I'd been collecting ephemera and materials for a while now, and doing some work here and there, but sporadically and only when I needed a short break other projects--most notably what was supposed to be my second book project: the history of time capsules in the 20c. 5/9
That project stalled when COVID hit, I couldn't travel to archives, and I also just plain lost motivation. On the other hand, "Going to Washington" started to take on new urgency, especially by the summer. 6/9
After yesterday, this project seems even more timely, and I remain interested in the question of comparison. If you look at Getty images of the mob, esp. in the rotunda, they are, at times, *acting* like tourists--taking pics, souvenirs. 7/9
Likewise, whataboutists and apologists have already started claiming that insurrectionists assumed that they were *welcomed* in public buildings and didn't think they were doing anything wrong. This is, of course, b.s., but it's a discourse that shouldn't be ignored. 8/9
Since this is still unfolding and happening in semi-ephemeral digital spaces I'm putting it out there. If you come across photographs, documentation of planning, reflections, or rationalizations, pls send it my way, either via dm or at rymszapa at american dot edu 9/9
