11/30/2025
"When politicians start talking about large groups of their fellow Americans as 'enemies,' it's time for a quiet stir of alertness. Polarizing people is a good way to win an election, and also a good way to wreck a country." -- Molly Ivins
Following Charlie Kirk's murder, Trump declared that Americans and the media need to “confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree.” To many Americans, Trump's words rang hollow.
Trump has referred to political opponents as "vermin" that needed to be "[rooted] out"; called judges "monsters"; and, in a Memorial Day social media post, described those Americans who oppose his policies as "scum" and accused them of "trying to destroy our country." Trump's highly charged language explicitly demonizes his political opponents such as when he described them as an "enemy from within" that is "more dangerous than China, Russia, and all those countries."
His aggressive, divisive, and dehumanizing rhetoric toward those who disagree with him -- often labelling them as "enemies" and "traitors" -- is viewed by many experts as inflaming such extremism and contributing to the normalization of political violence. An analysis of Trump's speeches over the past ten years by UCLA political scientists found that his use of violent language has increased over time and now surpasses that of nearly all other politicians studied from democratic countries.
A recent study by political scientist James Piazza found that countries where politicians used hate speech 'often' or 'extremely often' experienced an average of 107.9 domestic terrorist attacks compared to just 12.5 attacks in countries where politicians rarely used such language. Republican lawmakers have largely remained silent about or defended such rhetoric, despite warnings from security experts about its potential to inspire violence.
In addition to his often extremist rhetoric, Trump has demonstrated a willingness to absolve acts of physical violence to advance his political interests. In a deeply troubling indication of his priorities, Trump made pardoning the January 6 attackers one of his very first acts upon returning to office. On his first day in office, Trump granted full pardons to all those convicted in the January 6 attack, over 1,500 rioters in total, including the 123 individuals charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to a police officer.
The scope of this crisis cannot be ignored. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, between 2016 and 2025, there were 25 attacks and threats targeting elected officials, political candidates, judges and government employees that were motivated by partisan beliefs. For comparison, only two such incidents were reported in the two previous decades. The increase in partisan attacks spans the ideological spectrum but has done little to lower the temperature in political rhetoric.
As Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat whose home was attacked and set ablaze in April while his family slept inside, observed after Trump's recent attacks on six Democratic lawmakers: "[Trump] is actively encouraging political violence once again, ratcheting up the real risk of danger to our elected leaders and deepening the divides in our country. The sycophants and enablers the President surrounds himself with are quick to condemn language like this when it suits their political purposes -- but in moments like this, they remain silent.”
The flames of discord from the nation's highest office are emboldening violent extremism in our country. As individuals and as a nation, our "task now is to not let the people at the extremes pull the rest of us over the edge with them," urged Dr. Garen Wintemute, the director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis. "We need to make our rejection of political violence clear."
If you would like to work toward reducing toxic polarization, here are two non-profit organizations focused on helping Americans transcend partisan boundaries and restore civil discourse:
- Braver Angels has grassroots chapters across the country and holds events and workshops online to "bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic." https://braverangels.org
- BridgeUSA has student-led college chapters nationwide and aims to "empower young people to engage in constructive dialogue and disagreement to improve the quality of politics." Bridgeusa https://bridgeusa.org
To call on elected officials to reject political extremism and stand up for democracy, you can also connect with an Indivisible group in your area at https://indivisible.org/groups
For powerful books for tweens and teens about girls living in real-life oppressive societies throughout history where leaders often used hate and division to rule, visit our blog post "The Fragility of Freedom: Mighty Girl Books About Life Under Authoritarianism" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=32426
To inspire kids with the true stories of girls and women who fought for truth, decency, and justice by demanding the best from their leaders and countries, visit our blog post, "Dissent Is Patriotic: 50 Books About Women Who Fought for Change," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14364
To learn more about the incomparable Molly Ivins, she is the subject of an insightful biography for adult readers: "Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life" at https://bookshop.org/a/8011/9781586489052 (Bookshop) and https://amzn.to/4oYljlj (Amazon)
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Thanks to Texas Outlaw Writers for sharing this image
