"Once unleashed, political violence comes for everyone. It doesn't know what side of the aisle you're on or what your ideology might be, who your allies are or what your vision for the future includes. It doesn't know what brand of media you consume or how many ardent followers you have. Political violence doesn't know and doesn't care about such things. Like an infectious disease, it simply and efficiently finds more and more victims. It isn't picky about who they are."
"There was plenty of blame and talk about accountability. But we already know that, when it comes to gun violence, there will be no real change, no real accountability. Because that's hard, bipartisan work, and too much of America deeply entrenched in tribal politics and egged on by a president who glories in violent rhetoric is not interested. Gun rights and gun-industry money rule the day."
Political violence is indiscriminate and spreads like an infectious disease, finding victims regardless of ideology, allies, media consumption, or popularity. The killing of Charlie Kirk at a campus event in Utah was tragic. Immediate reactions were partisan, violent and ugly, mostly from the right, with officials offering blame and media figures calling for reprisal. Many prominent progressives expressed sympathy and emphasized bipartisan differences did not matter in the moment. Meaningful change on gun violence is unlikely because bipartisan work is difficult, tribal politics dominate, and leadership often glorifies violent rhetoric. Gun-rights power and gun-industry money block accountability. Social media algorithms intensified and worsened reactions.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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