Polarize or die, the new MAGA gospel

"This deliberate exploitation is based on the erosion of empathy: one sector of society loses the ability to understand those who think, live, or feel differently, nullifying the indispensable space for recognition of others that makes a complex and multicultural society like the United States viable. It opens the door to attacks against minorities, critics of power, and adversaries of the MAGA movement, and helps consolidate authoritarian populism."

"Thus, used as an ideological spearhead, Kirk's reprehensible death has exposed a dangerous mechanism: the intentional loss of empathy as a driver of polarization, hatred, and dehumanization. This is today the most serious and immediate threat to democracy in the United States. As soon as the attack made the headlines, Elon Musk, owner of X and with 226 million followers, launched his first poisoned barb: The left is the party of murder, fueling the climate of violence."

"He then added: Either we fight back or they will kill us, calling on Republicans to fight or die. It's worth recalling this quote from Musk, uttered in February: The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy. He wasn't joking. As expected, Trump was not far behind: For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals."

Charlie Kirk's murder intensified political polarization and became a focus for opportunistic exploitation by political leaders, media figures, and wealthy influencers. The exploitation stems from an erosion of empathy that prevents one sector of society from understanding those who think, live, or feel differently, eliminating recognition necessary for a pluralistic democracy. Loss of empathy opens the door to attacks on minorities, critics of power, and opponents of the MAGA movement while consolidating authoritarian populism. High-profile reactions framed political opponents as murderous and urged retaliation, normalizing violent rhetoric. The intentional amplification of dehumanizing narratives and hate speech represents an immediate threat to democratic stability in the United States.

Read at english.elpais.com