Guardians’ views on the killing of Charlie Kirk: A dangerous moment that could lead to more | Editorial

“dRich democracy is the way we have different societies that are largely not going to kill each other,” Lilliana Mason, a leading scholar of the party. Recently observed. “Once we stop believing it, it disappears,” she added. Dr. Mason’s own research shows that tolerance for political violence has risen sharply. On Wednesday, it claimed another victim.

Shocking killing Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USAa very influential activist Rally young people For Donald Trump’s cause and far-right ideology, it has been widely and correctly condemned throughout the political field. Leading Democrats and progressives have made it clear that such violence cannot be tolerated.

Even before the perpetrator was identified, the president was like several other Republicans Accusation “Radical Left-Political Violence” claims liberal rhetoric against conservatives is “directly responsible for the terrorism we see in our country.” Trump himself faced two attempts last year. He cited other victims but did not target many Democrats, including Melissa HortmanMinnesota representative shot her home with her husband Mark in June. Meanwhile, some far-right commentators talked about revenge.

In a country with civil war, assassination and lynching of four presidents, political violence is not a new phenomenon. But it rises again. Ordinary American Radical. In such an environment, one thing unites the political Poles. Any famous person is vulnerable, although people of color and people of color are Especially targeted. Threats to members of Congress Last year’s drama.

It is indeed dangerous to “demonize people who you disagree with”, but Trump himself has standardized his vicious attacks on his opponents. Tolerance to violence – Like Mr. Trump’s blanket pardon for the thug on January 6, a message is also conveyed. The root causes of violence are complex, but an environment conducive to political attacks may provoke potential perpetrators. Robert Pape, Director of the Chicago Security and Threat Program warn American politics may be on the brink of an era of extreme violence… The more public support for political violence, the more common it is.” Addicted to guns Significantly increased the impact.

The act of political violence kills human beings and breaks up families, which is a shocking loss to human beings. Mr. Kirk’s death left two children fatherless. However, through design, they also blocked other people’s political or other civic activities At each level. The most extreme sounds may continue and prevail. Before the perpetrators, blaming the political opponents has even been identified as bringing the risk of anger and attack for everyone’s costs. Dr. Mason of Johns Hopkins University and Nathan Kalmoe of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Established One in five respondents said that sometimes political violence can be justified, but three in five believed that if the other party committed violence in the first place, it can sometimes justify it.

There are other studies that point to people seem to be Not very willing If the misunderstanding of extremism or force tendency on the other side is corrected, violence is tolerated. In this dangerous time, the response to this hate crime should be a fusion emphasis on nonviolence and civic tolerance. Raising division, on the contrary, only increases the threat to politicians and activists in various stripes and deals another blow to democracy itself.

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