Electoral Terrorism: Violence Will Likely Escalate
A new study finds evidence that the American populace is growing more tolerant of political violence. Most remain opposed to the idea, but there may be “violent partisanship among tens of millions of Americans,” write political scientists Nathan Kalmoe and Lilliana Mason.
“Fifteen percent of Republicans and 20 percent of Democrat agreed that the country would be better off if large numbers of opposing partisans in the public today ‘just died,’ a shockingly brutal sentiment,” they write. “Seventeen percent of Democrats and 7 percent of Republican report every wishing that someone would injure one or more politicians from the out-party.”
It’s easy for partisans to view the other side as a threat – something that might now lead to real and violent action. This year has seen everything from shoving matches to sometimes fatal shootings of protesters in places such as Albuquerque, Austin, Louisville...