One of our most important documents, The Declaration of Independence, states that when a government becomes destructive, the people have the right to alter or abolish it, and to establish a new government. In the past few years, this has come to be a bit of a sore spot with some people. On Jan. 6, 2021, people stormed the capitol building, some people argued that they were doing what the Declaration said they could while most stated it was a tried coup.
Whether you believe that the people who stormed the capitol had a right to or not, something that many people cannot deny is the sudden increase of political violence. It used to be that people could have differing opinions and be fine, still live civilly with each other. Now, it seems as though if you do not have the same opinion then you cannot even associate with the other person.
Our society has gotten to the point where we cannot simply make friends, people ask what your political party is, what your religion is and what’s your stance on different things before even getting to know you as a person. What happened to just asking what your favorite TV show is? As a member of GenZ, I feel as though my generation is a major player in this.
GenZ tries so hard to be on the ‘right side of history’ that they only have beliefs based on what is popular. You see all the time, young teenage kids talking about whatever is trending in the political world and having the opinion that is most popular until months later when it’s not. For us to be the most technologically advanced generation, we are also becoming the ones who are letting celebrities and influencers make our opinions for us.
The reason I bring this up is because of recent events with Former President Donald Trump. Trump has had two assassination attempts in the span of two months. While most people agreed that they should not have happened, you have chronically online kids crying because the shooter missed and ranting about how half the problem would’ve been gone.
Where is the compassion and empathy that we are supposed to be known for? Also, why are you so complacent with a person’s life almost being taken? Many people are saying that Trump is responsible for his assassination attempts because he never condemned the insurrection back in 2021 and is letting the political climate get this bad. I will admit that could have some reason, but if you say this you are also ignoring the fact that back when he was elected president in 2016, the democratic party went into a mental downfall. They were calling to tell cabinet members and Trump supporters that they aren’t welcome in businesses and celebrities were posing with a decapitated head of Trump and saying they wanted to blow up the White House. Granted, most of them did apologize because of the major downfall their careers took, but it was still said. To wish ill on a President is to wish ill on America and it doesn’t need more ill wishes!
It has been over 40 years since the last assassination attempt, on any President while in office or not, all the way back in the 80s with Ronald Reagan. On March 30, 1981, Reagan was heading back to his limo after speaking at the Washington Hilton hotel when John Hinckley Jr. fired six gunshots using a .22 caliber Röhm RG-14 revolver toward him, striking Reagan and three others. Reagan was rushed to George Washington University Hospital after being severely wounded and close to death. This was a man who won both of his elections in record numbers, a true red wave as you could call it. It’s insane that we have gone so long without another assassination attempt actually being carried out, but it is because the Government has allegedly beefed up the Secret Service.
We have had plenty of other attacks, assassination attempts, and plots on other presidents that did not go through. Former President Barack Obama had 11 plots against him in his eight years of presidency, but all were taken care of before they happened. They all stem from some sort of political or racial difference…but why? Just why are people so willing to try and kill someone because of a difference so small?
We need to be better. We need to have open conversations and understand that it is okay to be friends and associate with people who have different opinions. It’s not a genuine and fulfilling world if we all believe the same things. That is how we lose amazing ideas, innovative outlooks, the process of coming up with new opinions and all the things that make us so uniquely human. Without different opinions and outlooks on the world, we are no different than animals who follow what has always been. Both parties are at fault; you can blame neither Republicans solely nor Democrats solely for the increase in political violence. Both parties have become so hostile towards each other that it has shown nothing but support for some people to feel as though they can be violent. Some people see our Congress always arguing and our ‘best of the best’ for the highest office in the world always at each other’s throats and feel as though it is what they should do. Political violence goes both ways, not just Democrat and not just Republican.
