Political Violence in America: Trends and Reflections

Political violence in America, driven by polarization, poses a significant threat to public officials and the democratic process.

### Rise of Political Violence in America: A Reflection on Recent Events
* 🔫  The recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump has shocked Americans, with parallels drawn to the **1981 attack on Ronald Reagan**.
* 🇺🇸  The US has seen a concerning trend of political violence, including the **2017 shooting at a Republican baseball practice**, **2020 plot to kidnap Michigan's governor**, and the **January 6 Capitol riot**.
* 🤔  Many are questioning the motives behind these attacks, with some attributing them to **heightened political polarization**.
* 📊  Polls show **significant animosity between party members**, with each side viewing the other as **destructive and immoral**.
* 👥  While some attacks are politically motivated, others are carried out by individuals with **personal grievances and access to weapons**.
* 🌐  The political climate, including rhetoric from leaders like Donald Trump, is seen as a **contributing factor to this violence**.
* 🗳️  The impact of these events on the upcoming presidential election remains uncertain, with **Trump's response and public perception** likely to be influenced by them.
* 🤝  This moment may prompt Americans to reflect on the political environment and consider whether they want a **more heated or calmer tone** in leadership.

Take a look at what happened. She doesn't have the assassination attempt on Donald Trump is a shocking event. Americans haven't seen anything like it since 1981. When Ronald Reagan was the target of an assassination. He was wounded, my God, he was the president was hit. But you don't need to reach back that far to see that America has had a large share of political violence. We don't know the shooter's motive and whether he was driven by political hostility. But many Americans are using this moment to pause and reflect on the trend of political violence that we have seen in America. The string of violent attacks has been almost constant in 2017, someone who was angry at then President Trump and at Republicans went to a baseball practice where Republican lawmakers were and shot a number of people leaving a leading Republican lawmaker, one of the senior members of the house in critical condition. This could have been a tragedy like so many others.

The next year, somebody sent pipe bombs to a number of critics of then President Trump. We heard the fire alarm go off while we were anchoring a show reporting on these explosive devices, face packages delivered to the former president's home of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama door service and the White House. And later we were told suspicious packages CNN evacuate immediately. In 2020, six men were arrested in a plot to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, the democratic governor of Michigan and to try her for treason. I think that the president has given safe harbor to hate organizations and you know, domestic terror organizations. And of course one woman lost her life in the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021 in which a crowd that had been stoked by President Trump tried to stop the certification of the vote and the results of the 2020 election, we fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country in 2022 the husband of Nancy

Alosi, the former Democratic Speaker of the House, was attacked in his own home. And that same year, a man was arrested outside the home of Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court justice, and he was found with a pistol and other threatening items in his backpack. These incidents raise the question of why are they happening? Is it simply a matter that public officials are in the public eye, or is there something in our political culture and in our culture more broadly that's driving these events? One thing that will certainly turn to is whether the rise in political polarization is part of the problem. There is no doubt that members of one party feel more animosity, not dislike, but significant dislike for members of the other party than they have in the past. Polling has documented amply that members of one party feel that the other party's agenda, if enacted, would not only be bad for America but would destroy America. Polling has also shown that members of one party feel in very large numbers that

those in the other party are immoral and close-minded. Many people think that this hostility has been a kind of kindling that incites acts of violence or spurs them on, though we don't know if this is the case in the attack on Donald Trump. Some violence against political figures has been carried out by people with non-political motives, people who just had access to guns and some kind of motivation to act. The attack on Ronald Reagan was not politically motivated but rather done by someone who was trying to seek the attention of a celebrity. But in many of these cases, the perpetrators did show some animosity toward one party or the other. Some political violence has really changed the course of this country. I would like to live the death of Martin Luther King Jr. A horrible event sparked violence and riots across the country. Ronald Reagan's near assassination became part of the mythology of him being a fighter and a survivor. It will take time to learn what effect this assassination attempt means for the

presidential election. And for the two political parties, many Democrats say that Donald Trump himself has added a kind of negative energy to the political environment. Trump's biggest of all because they had nothing to do with the insurrection of January 6th. We all saw with our own eyes, we saw we sent thousands to attack the Capitol. Some Republicans right now are faulting democratic rhetoric for fomenting the attempted assassination on President Trump when the message goes out constantly that the election of Donald Trump would be a threat to democracy and that the Republic would end. I mean, it heats up the environment, we cannot do that. It's simply not true. Many Americans will be looking again at Donald Trump in the coming week as he goes to Milwaukee, he names his choice as a vice president, a running mate, and he formally accepts his party's nomination for president. Will he be perceived as a fighter and a hero to his supporters, or will Americans take a step back and say,

Gee, the political environment that he's part of is too heated, and we want a calmer temperature. But now more Americans are tuning in, and this is the moment where they'll be forming an opinion about who to vote for in November.

Trump Shooting: How Violence Against Politicians Has Surged | WSJ

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The Wall Street Journal

The assassination attempt on Donald Trump is a shocking event, reminiscent of the 1981 attack on President Ronald Reagan.

The US has experienced a constant string of political violence, including shootings, bomb threats, and the Capitol riot, reflecting a concerning trend in recent years.

The motives behind these attacks often stem from political hostility, prompting a nationwide reflection on the prevalence of such violence.

Recent Political Violence and its Underlying Causes

Recent attacks on public officials raise questions about the driving forces behind such incidents, including political polarization and cultural factors.

Polling data shows a significant increase in animosity between members of different parties, potentially fueling hostility and violence.

While some attacks may have non-political motives, many perpetrators still demonstrate animosity towards a specific party.

Political violence has historically had a significant impact on the course of the country, sparking riots and shaping the mythology of public figures.

The Impact of Donald Trump on the Political Environment

Many Democrats blame Donald Trump for creating a negative political atmosphere, while some Republicans accuse Democratic rhetoric of fueling the attempted assassination on Trump.

Trump's upcoming events, including naming his running mate and accepting the party's nomination, raise questions about how he will be perceived by Americans.

Increasing Political Engagement in the United States

More Americans are becoming engaged in the heated political environment ahead of the November elections.

This increased attention is leading to a growing number of people forming opinions about which candidate to vote for.