The assassination attempt on Donald Trump was a horrific moment for America but it didn’t come as a complete surprise. Political hostility and hateful rhetoric have risen to produce deep and poisonous divisions that threaten to unravel our democratic system. We are in the worst crisis in modern American politics, exceeding the political violence and civil unrest of the late 1960s.
For months politicians from both parties have escalated reckless rhetoric. That includes claims that Trump was set to kill democracy, unleash “death squads” and make homosexuals and reporters “disappear.” As soon as Trump was elected, unhinged rage became the norm with celebrity Kathy Griffin featuring herself holding the bloody severed head of Trump.
Just recently, another celebrity, actress Lea DeLaria, begged Biden to “blow [Trump] up” after the recent presidential immunity decision. DeLaria explained that “this is a **** war. This is a war now, and we are fighting for our ****country.
And these a**holes are going to take it away. They’re going to take it away.” After Trump’s shooting, President Biden properly denounced “political violence” as did other political leaders.
But they must be followed by major changes in behavior and rhetoric. In Biden’s case, he has fueled rhetorical rage. In 2022, he gave a controversial speech in front of Independence Hall where he denounced Trump supporters as “enemies of the people.
” Biden recently referenced the speech and embrac.