The attempted assassination of former President Trump is just the latest reminder that the vitriolic hatred of political leaders with whom we disagree is a disturbing tremor, forewarning a seismic political earthquake. We saw previous rumbles when an anti-Trump lunatic attempted to murder Republican congressmen on a baseball practice field. And the fault lines continue to widen.
A congresswoman encouraged physical confrontations of political adversaries, the top U.S. Senate leader threatened Supreme Court justices, and Hollywood millionaires provoked violence against a president they despised. Those who ought to use their platforms to channel passionate political disagreements productively instead set the stage for the violence we saw at the Pennsylvania Trump rally.
The notion that the former president is the cause of this caustic turn in our politics is provably false. We’ve been fraying for 50 years or more.
Political violence is easy to denounce but it requires a more rigorous follow-through. For example, there’s a law against protesting outside the private homes of Supreme Court justices. Yet even after a psycho showed up to murder Justice Brett Kavanaugh and two other justices, the Biden Justice Department refuses to enforce that law.
Now should Attorney General Merrick Garland be physically assaulted for that lapse? Of course not. Impeach him, call him to Capitol Hill for hearings, or take any other lawful option available. Only those of low character or high psychosis think violence is the solution to political disagreements.
As a prosecutor, I believe that the criminal is fully responsible for his crime. But while an arsonist lights the match, it’s hard not to notice that others stored the gasoline near the woodpile.
Good can come from tragedy. Perhaps the attempted assassination can be a pivot point that returns us to a saner path. The map there is remarkably clear: embracing 10 touchstones that can unite us as Americans.
- No American elected official is anything like Hitler, Stalin, or Mao. Claiming otherwise denigrates the tens of millions killed by those tyrants. And making these ridiculous comparisons exposes a lack of understanding of the constitutional guardrails that protect America from devolving into totalitarianism.
- Power is shared among thousands of American leaders and whoever sits in the Oval Office is just one of them. If your candidate loses, be patient. Like a bus, another president will come along soon enough.
- Breaking the law is always worse than saying mean things or holding controversial beliefs. In a republic, our elected policymakers decide what actions are bad enough to warrant prison. Everything else is just discourse.
- Calling someone a name won’t bring about the change you seek. It can cause ideological adversaries—and even allies—to write you off as unwilling to engage responsibly.
- Your feelings aren’t all that important. Neither are mine. Feelings change; facts don’t. On any given topic there’s only one truth but there are countless opinions. Know the difference.
- Freedom of speech is meant to protect unpopular opinions, because a protestor carrying an “I love puppies” sign will never be arrested. When you set out to protect only the views you agree with, you’ll be the most shocked of all when you’re subsequently silenced.
- Respect for the rule of law is non-negotiable. Our justice system must remain impartial, regardless of status or influence. That means that people attacking one kind of government building—like the federal courthouse in Portland Oregon—should receive the same level of prosecution and punishment as those who rioted at the Capitol on January 6.
- Personal responsibility is foundational to a thriving republic. Everyone must be accountable for his or her actions and decisions, fostering a culture of integrity and self-reliance. There’s no such thing as group culpability or group rights. The Declaration of Independence reminded us that our rights come from God, not because we’re Americans, but because we’re individuals made in his image.
- Community cohesion is vital for societal stability. We don’t always have to see eye to eye as long as we’re looking in the same direction.
- We’re called to pray for both Joe Biden and Donald Trump and all our fellow Americans. Those who aren’t the praying sort should release feelings of hatred for the opposition, if only in the hope that others will follow suit.
Ben Franklin famously remarked that the founders gave their countrymen a republic—if they could keep it. Given how divided and prone to violence many of us are, we aren’t keeping it well.
It’s a hot summer of political anger, but it doesn’t have to be 1968.
So here’s my hope: Historians of the 22nd century will cite the attempt to assassinate the front runner in the 2024 presidential election as the wake-up call that brought Americans straight up out of their twisted hotbed of political division and into a brighter morning of national unity.
Mark R. Weaver is a prosecutor and formerly served as a Justice Department spokesman and Deputy Attorney General of Ohio. He is the author of “A Wordsmith’s Work.” X: @MarkRWeaver
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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