The Founders’ guide to ‘Knock Down, Drag Out’ fighting

Aaron Alexander Zubia

Reflecting on the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump protesters, Aaron Alexander Zubia writes an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal. Zubia, a postdoctoral fellow with the Tocqueville Program in the Department of Politics and International Affairs at Furman University, says we can learn much from our Founding Fathers who in 1787-1788 were embroiled in heated debates over the ratification of the Constitution.

To manage passions during ratification, Zubia writes, “[The Federalists] opted not to suppress passions but to channel them toward common leaders (like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin) and a common cause (ratification).” Fast-forward to present day, the statement begs a question or two – “Who are our common leaders today? Who demands enough respect and admiration to quell the ordinary diversity of opinions?” Zubia asks.

Zubia holds a master’s and doctorate in political science from Columbia University, a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s in marketing from the University of Texas at El Paso. His work has appeared in Interpretation: A Journal of Political Philosophy. He has also written for National Review Online, Washington Examiner, and Public Discourse.