When Did Violence Become the Norm in Politics?

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Politics in the U.S. is getting scary. The violence is spiraling, and not just making me angry, it's also actually making me wonder how things got that bad. Even with that recent attack on former President Trump, people are still choosing guns and violence over words and ballots. This ain't the America people grew up with. I am definitely not alone in holding my breath on what comes next.

It is not about one side or the other. People from both sides are saying they are tired of the bloodshed. Still, somehow, as threats continue to escalate especially around elections, it's like we forget this is a country where people actually solve problems without hurting each other.

What's even crazier is that this violence isn't just in America. People, including experts like Sarah Birch, have pointed out that electoral violence is actually on the rise in countries you would have thought got it together. She sees a high increase in electoral violence in the last 15 years even in places like Europe, where you would think things were more stable. So it's not just an American problem, it's a worldwide one.

The way I see it, part of the problem is how political campaigns are conducted. All that mudslinging and name calling really get people wild and aggressive. And for some reason, leaders aren't doing enough to tell people to calm down. It wouldn't be hard at all for leaders to say things like, "Violence isn't cool." They just aren't saying it, and people are getting hurt because of it.

However, we cannot simply fault the politicians. As a people, we need to stand up and say enough is enough.

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