Julias Caesar to Trump: What We Can Learn From Political Violence

Political violence has a long and complex history that has taken many forms, including revolutions, coups, assassinations and terrorism. Its roots can be traced back to ancient times, from Julius Caesar in the Roman Era to the Set rebellion that caused the division of Upper and Lower Egypt in the Second Dynasty. These instances of political violence are shaped by the specific socio-political context of its time. It reflects the underlying tensions and conflicts within societies, often leading to significant changes in political structures and societal norms. 

In the United States, political violence has always been a regular occurrence, but since around 2016, it has been on the rise. From death threats against bureaucrats and public health officials during COVID-19 to a plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor and the 6 January 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, all these instances show the willingness of Americans to undertake, support or excuse political violence. While the previously mentioned acts all had a clear ideological intent behind them, be that disbelief in COVID or disdain for policies, the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13th in Butler, PA is currently ideologically unclear. Thomas Matthew Crooks, the suspect identified as the assailant, is a political enigma as he seems to have had no public digital presence, no history of violence or mental illness and no manifesto or clear motivation. So what drove him to take shots that injured the former President, killed a rally-goer and seriously wounded two others?

It could be attributed to the political environment he and many others of this generation have been raised in. The normalization of provocative and violent rhetoric has created the sense that violence is a legitimate way to solve political problems when expression through Democracy seemingly fails. Crooks fits the shifting style of violence which used to be ideologically or movement-backed but is now more partisan and party-backed. 

Language also could be a strong motivator for partisan political violence as candidates now often resort to verbal attacks against their opponents, calling them “traitors to the country,” “threats to democracy,” “radical-left thugs” or “losers.” This new state of American politics is just miserable. Average Americans don’t want to hear two political candidates throw personal insults at each other during a debate that is supposed to be about their political goals and plans to improve the country. We want viable, well-expressed and clear outlines of why we should vote for a candidate based on their policies. At this point, however, the capital building should start hiring more officers because political violence has no end in sight. 

Acknowledgment: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the individual author.