Summary of Renegade By Adam Kinzinger: Defending Democracy and Liberty in Our Divided Country

By Willie M. Joseph

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This book does not in any capacity mean to replace the original book but to serve as a vast summary of the original book.

Summary of Renegade By Adam Kinzinger: Defending Democracy and Liberty in Our Divided Country

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Renegade is a personal account of Adam Kinzinger's journey from inside Congress, detailing the January 6 attacks on the US Capitol and his vote to impeach Donald Trump. Kinzinger's story highlights the rise of extremism and the GOP's dysfunctional nature, as well as his call for unity. The book offers a glimpse into the tumultuous period and the challenges faced by the Republican Party, highlighting the need for faith, service, and political duty in a democracy under siege.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Willie M. Joseph
• Release date: Nov 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223400479

Willie M. Joseph

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What Do You Stand For?

The House committee investigating the lethal attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, examined a long list of events. President Donald Trump riled his base to support his claims of election fraud, even though aides told him they were false. His lawyers helped construct a failed campaign to send fake pro-Trump electors to the Electoral College. Then, Trump called for a day of violence, and his followers waged a bloody, medieval attack on the Capitol. As the police battled them for 187 minutes, Trump watched the violence on TV and refused to call the attackers off.

America has never experienced anything like January 6, which is what we must call an attempted coup. This Trumpism is un-American in the extreme, seeking to undermine elections, place controls on the press, restrict immigration, politicize the judiciary, and polarize the people. The author stands for the values learned in his formative years, including the values learned before Trump and the GOP's slide away from policies and toward gaining power at any cost.

The author recounts the testimony of officers who defended the Capitol from a mob on January 6, a day that was marked by racial slurs and attempts to ignore or destroy the truth. Michael Fanone, one of the officers, recounted being dragged to the ground by attackers who threatened to kill him with his own gun. They managed to grab his police Taser and shoot him with it, causing a heart attack. The author felt a lump rise in his throat as they spoke, reminding them of soldiers who became like family and bonded by war.

The author acknowledges that many in Congress, whom he had helped save, now deny the seriousness of the attack so they can stay in Donald Trump's good graces. The author feels honored to have Fanone lean on him, as the weight he carries is incalculable and will feel it long after post-January 6 generations grow to adulthood.

Those who consider January 6 will likely focus on President Trump's obvious crimes and the many efforts, including ours, to bring him to account. After more than a year of committee work, members and staff interviewed over a thousand people and received over 144,000 documents. The author also shares a personal experience of using a single-engine airplane between Washington and Illinois, highlighting the cost-effectiveness of a small plane over commercial flights and the time involved in traveling.

The author reflects on the resentments of small-town people in America, who are often dismissed as rubes from flyover country. They acknowledge that this is partly due to the negative perception of small-town people in Hollywood, the press, Wall Street, and Washington. However, the author believes that these people are decent, moral, intelligent, hardworking, and committed to their country. They mention that their children make up most of the soldiers and sailors who see combat in the military.

The author's home state of Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln began public service, is known for its Lincoln Museum, which acquired Lincoln's stovepipe hat in 2007. The author's parents raised them to be like Lincoln, using their intelligence and creativity to help the diverse population learn and develop a lifelong love of learning. Their father worked in various fields, including business, the state welfare department, and the American Heart Association. He also worked with a faith-based organization that provided help for the homeless, opening shops that felt like regular retail stores. This strategy helped countless people feel more dignified and raised money for more services.

Childhood experiences in a midwestern neighborhood were secure and happy, with no concern for safety or political ideals. The author's parents had a well-developed conscience and an independent streak, leading them to think for themselves and make decisions based on their own understanding.

Adolescence saw the author questioning some of the basic assumptions of their faith at their church, the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB). IFBs demanded strict adherence to their doctrines and rules, which made it easy to commit sins. They were one of the few no smoking, no drinking, no dancing churches, and imposed strict rules such as wearing secular music, attending movies, and obeying authority figures.

The author's parents did not take all IFB rules as gospel, but they were firmly against abortion and found Christian faith central to their life. They joined the IFB church because they felt welcomed and comfortable in a strong, cohesive community where people seemed to care about one another.

Community is the most powerful benefit of IFB life, as it grows out of constant interactions among members who spend a great deal of time with one another inside and outside the church. This shared isolation, supported by spiritual encouragement, comes from many friendships. The church will be with you both spiritually and physically during crises like family deaths or childbirth. Most people stick with the church eventually prefer to live by rules that free them from the burden of decision-making.

However, the stricter the church, the more resilient it is in the short run. On the negative side of IFB cohesion, there is a lack of critical or creative thinking and a tendency for people to view those who differ as evil. Overall, childhood experiences in a midwestern neighborhood provided a sense of security and acceptance for the author.

The author's family's moderate view of IFB rules led to incidents in their church community, such as attending a roller coaster amusement park and being told by the youth leader to change. This pressure to conform was supposed to protect the church and its community from ungodly outside influences. For generations, Baptists avoided entertainment, the