Definition of treason, dictionary.

[gab13by13]

trea·son
/ˈtrēzən/

noun
the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.
"they were convicted of treason.

My question, so why when people call the people who attempted to overthrow our government, traitors, right away someone has to jump up and correct them and give the legal definition of treason. I say, fuck that from now on, those people are traitors and Webster agrees with me. Besides when speaking of them, the word traitor just seems appropriate, it fits. Also, someone tell Ari Melber to stop calling the Attempted coup a riot.

In the words of MF45, "you know what they do to traitors."

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. And yet, the legal definition in the Constitution is much narrower. Nt

[ripcord]

2. Many people have asked why these people haven't been charged as traitors

Others then give the legal definition to show why.

[hack89]

3. Call them what you want. Just accept they can't actually be charged with treason.

the US has an extremely limited definition of treason - it is the only word actually defined in the Constitition.

[dumbcat]

4. There are many dictionaries

And many different definitions of common words. Unfortunate, sometimes, but true.

[gab13by13]

6. I was not clear enough,

I can openly call these people traitors with a clear conscience. My point is that the narrative is extremely important and not just for swaying public opinion. When these people go on trial, if the narrative is that they are traitors it affects the jury pool, it affects the judges. To prove my point, at least 2 judges have been pissed off that prosecutors aren't seeking stiffer sentences for the traitors, it is extremely rare for judges to be admonishing prosecutors for not seeking stiffer sentences. It makes me sick when people treat these traitors with kid gloves. Oh, some of the traitors just walked through the Capitol peacefully. Oh, some of the traitors helped law enforcement. Oh, everyone of those traitors should have been charged with stiffer sentences. That is my point. My gawd, an attack on our democracy, an attempt to overthrow our government, that is treason, if it can't be proven in court so be it. If a murderer gets off on a technicality, legally he is not a murderer, but in fact, actually, he is a murderer.

[Jilly_in_VA]

5. Merriam-Webster on the subject

Full Definition of treason
1: the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign's family
2: the betrayal of a trust : TREACHERY


Definition of sedition
: incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority


ISTM they can all definitely be charged with sedition as opposed to treason, but some of them, mainly the organizers, could definitely be charged with treason. Just my $.02 as a non-legal scholar.

[TomSlick]

7. This is the constitutional equivalent of how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

Those involved in the 1/6 insurrection are not traitors, they are insurrectionists. They should be tried and punished as such.