Thank you for this post and the salient points you make. Patriarchy is the root of most of the violence around the world, and the right often demonstrates the deep emotional wounding and lack of empathy that result from patriarchy. The left has moved slightly beyond patriarchy, at least enough to feel empathy and compassion for most others. We all need to heal at a deeper level in order to stop this violence; and we need to find a balance of the sacred feminine within all of ourselves in harmony with the sacred masculine within all of ourselves.
Trump and MAGA's rush to immediately place blame on the left is abhorent. These "peaceful" people are quick to incite violence. Where were they when they found out that Vance Boelter was a Trump supporter? Right - nowhere.
He was assassinated from a distance by a single, precise shot at a very small target (his throat.) They cannot find the shooter (obviously a pro) which suggests they had help getting away. This happened the day after the Epstein scandal was breaking all over the news.
Today the news and right wing social media is completely focused on this particular shooting; not much about Denver. Or Epstein. Or that drawing.
These are facts that raise serious questions.
Everyone seems to agree that this was “political violence.” Perhaps. But what kind of political violence? There’s more than one possibility, isn’t there?
Until more is discovered about the shooter perhaps we should avoid getting caught up in the media maelstrom.
I think their inability to find the shooter says a lot about why Kash Patel was a poor choice to head the FBI. He has no experience in law enforcement, legal work or any of the other areas of expertise you would think a head of the FBI should have.
I am a proud republican and I love my country. I fought for my country and all her people, regardless of political views. My voice doesn't hold much weight in the scheme of things, but I personally condemn all political violence no matter which side it comes from. This is not how we come together and strengthen ourselves. We have so many enemies outside our borders. We do not need the infighting. It weakens our resolve and makes us look weak to our real enemies abroad. We need to find a way to have civil discussion and find common ground so that we can work together to fix our broken society. Too many extremists on both sides make that outcome look bleak. I fear for the future of our nation. I pray that we find a way soon, or we risk losing everything we have fought so hard for.
I agree I served as well for people to have their rights regardless of political affiliation. I truly believe united we stand divided we fall. When Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim yon Un had a meeting that was a serious warning to America.
Trump makes this all about the GOP but little is said about Democrats Hortman’s death, her husband and dog by a Conservative…His hateful blame game has created this atmosphere..Little is done about Mental Illness too…
Thank you for saying this. Charlie didn’t deserve to die. Melissa didn’t deserve to die. This feels like a dangerous and precarious time in our country. We need to bridge our divide and stand up against this type of violence for all victims. I just don’t know how that will happen and feel at a loss for next steps.
Not only should they say Melissa’s name but also her husband Mark’s as well as Gilbert’s too. But when they do that it means that they are facing the truth the horror of what happened to her and her family, it humanizes her . But republicans have no interest in any of that. They are the party of grievances and haters in their minds and their veins are filled with it, and it’s vile and sad. Thank you for addressing this Mike.
In a NYT editorial opinion yesterday, the authors named multiple elected politicians who have been violently attacked in the past few years (Shapiro, Trump, Pelosi ) yet left unamed the murdered “member of the Minnesota State Legislature” .
I am going to politely disagree about “political violence”. Change does not occur without it. Non-violence means remaining non-violent in the Face of political violence, so that those in the wrong are showcased to the world as unjust and violent. Every important change has been made “in the face of” political violence. The Salt Factory riots - Gandhi. The lunch counter sit-ins - MLK. the Freedom Riders MLK. Every protester that has ever been clocked in the head by a baton has experienced “political violence”. And the most radical changes, politically, in the world, have occurred through coups, overthrows, revolutions. No political violence means no Haitian Slave Revolt, No Haymarket Riots, No French Revolution, No American Revolution. Mexican Independence Day was Mexican indigenous people throwing Spain out of their country. I think, we erase good history and “good trouble” when we get loose with phrase “political violence”. Are individual assassinations the same thing? I do not think so. Do they sometimes spark greater change? Well we could use WWI as an example of an assassination that created greater change. However, it is usually the non-violent change makers that are at greater risk of assassination. (Ghandi, MLK, Malcolm X, Kennedy) Assasinations create LESS change, but political violence? And enduring it at the hands of the oppressors and showcasing it to the world? That has created GREAT change. As have Revolutions and Coups. My condolences to the family of Charlie Kirk.
You started out great and then you destroyed your credibility by saying that this violence is mostly a problem of the right. It is not, it is a problem for everyone. Not to acknowledge this is hypocritical of the highest order. WHEN ONE IS NOT SAFE NO ONE IS SAFE!!!!
U R one million percent correct, that’s just how they play their DIRTY GAMES, and they know the majority of these attacks and murders are done by RIGHT WING SUPPORTERS and let’s be real about this BS most or all of their supporters know this also, they are Masters at getting ahead of the game. You have one part of their base know that they are Lying and the other part that just tags along with them and their lies. Like I told some friends and people I know, there’s only two times that RepubliCons are lying and that’s when their Eyes are open and when they’re Closed in other words ALL THE DAMN TIME even when they try to tell the truth.
While Trump allows open csi in DC so his militias can be in plane along with the basins guard... make no mistake, violence is in the Trump plan anif the left is armed with morality, it will lots
GUNS REFORM on a national level but GOP republicans wont legislate AT ALL because the love of money and greed and power over ALL LIVES MATTER PERIOD, starting from 34 Felon and let’s not speak on mental health and illnesses , that’s been gutted OUT of the fabric of United States of American, thanks to the UGLY GOP Republicans Bill!
Great point here. In fact as the NYT reported some of Kirk’s political proclivities, he did say that such violence is part of the fabric of our country, perhaps suggesting that he may even have considered himself a target. Nonetheless, any loss of life from such violence is needless and certainly regrettable and the only fights we need to have are in forums where people speak - or write - and are able to offer retorts and let the audiences decide where they land in the spectrum of ideas.
Thank you for this post and the salient points you make. Patriarchy is the root of most of the violence around the world, and the right often demonstrates the deep emotional wounding and lack of empathy that result from patriarchy. The left has moved slightly beyond patriarchy, at least enough to feel empathy and compassion for most others. We all need to heal at a deeper level in order to stop this violence; and we need to find a balance of the sacred feminine within all of ourselves in harmony with the sacred masculine within all of ourselves.
Melissa Hortman spread her name.
Let it ring out.
She her husband and dog were shot and killed.
Medal of Honor. !
Did not think she
Received it.
Trump and MAGA's rush to immediately place blame on the left is abhorent. These "peaceful" people are quick to incite violence. Where were they when they found out that Vance Boelter was a Trump supporter? Right - nowhere.
He was assassinated from a distance by a single, precise shot at a very small target (his throat.) They cannot find the shooter (obviously a pro) which suggests they had help getting away. This happened the day after the Epstein scandal was breaking all over the news.
Today the news and right wing social media is completely focused on this particular shooting; not much about Denver. Or Epstein. Or that drawing.
These are facts that raise serious questions.
Everyone seems to agree that this was “political violence.” Perhaps. But what kind of political violence? There’s more than one possibility, isn’t there?
Until more is discovered about the shooter perhaps we should avoid getting caught up in the media maelstrom.
I think their inability to find the shooter says a lot about why Kash Patel was a poor choice to head the FBI. He has no experience in law enforcement, legal work or any of the other areas of expertise you would think a head of the FBI should have.
I am a proud republican and I love my country. I fought for my country and all her people, regardless of political views. My voice doesn't hold much weight in the scheme of things, but I personally condemn all political violence no matter which side it comes from. This is not how we come together and strengthen ourselves. We have so many enemies outside our borders. We do not need the infighting. It weakens our resolve and makes us look weak to our real enemies abroad. We need to find a way to have civil discussion and find common ground so that we can work together to fix our broken society. Too many extremists on both sides make that outcome look bleak. I fear for the future of our nation. I pray that we find a way soon, or we risk losing everything we have fought so hard for.
I agree I served as well for people to have their rights regardless of political affiliation. I truly believe united we stand divided we fall. When Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim yon Un had a meeting that was a serious warning to America.
Trump makes this all about the GOP but little is said about Democrats Hortman’s death, her husband and dog by a Conservative…His hateful blame game has created this atmosphere..Little is done about Mental Illness too…
Doing something about mental illness would require the GOP to do something about DJT. So that is a no go.
Thank you for saying this. Charlie didn’t deserve to die. Melissa didn’t deserve to die. This feels like a dangerous and precarious time in our country. We need to bridge our divide and stand up against this type of violence for all victims. I just don’t know how that will happen and feel at a loss for next steps.
Not only should they say Melissa’s name but also her husband Mark’s as well as Gilbert’s too. But when they do that it means that they are facing the truth the horror of what happened to her and her family, it humanizes her . But republicans have no interest in any of that. They are the party of grievances and haters in their minds and their veins are filled with it, and it’s vile and sad. Thank you for addressing this Mike.
If violence with AL'S is in the hands of Neo Nazis, what are democracy-lovers bringing to the fight to hold onto our Republic?
Sorry, what are AL’S?
AKs…autocorrect made a real mess of my comment and I was trying to read black-on-black on my screen for some reason. Apologies.
In a NYT editorial opinion yesterday, the authors named multiple elected politicians who have been violently attacked in the past few years (Shapiro, Trump, Pelosi ) yet left unamed the murdered “member of the Minnesota State Legislature” .
Shame on the NYT editorial board.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/10/opinion/charlie-kirk-mourning-political-violence.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
I am going to politely disagree about “political violence”. Change does not occur without it. Non-violence means remaining non-violent in the Face of political violence, so that those in the wrong are showcased to the world as unjust and violent. Every important change has been made “in the face of” political violence. The Salt Factory riots - Gandhi. The lunch counter sit-ins - MLK. the Freedom Riders MLK. Every protester that has ever been clocked in the head by a baton has experienced “political violence”. And the most radical changes, politically, in the world, have occurred through coups, overthrows, revolutions. No political violence means no Haitian Slave Revolt, No Haymarket Riots, No French Revolution, No American Revolution. Mexican Independence Day was Mexican indigenous people throwing Spain out of their country. I think, we erase good history and “good trouble” when we get loose with phrase “political violence”. Are individual assassinations the same thing? I do not think so. Do they sometimes spark greater change? Well we could use WWI as an example of an assassination that created greater change. However, it is usually the non-violent change makers that are at greater risk of assassination. (Ghandi, MLK, Malcolm X, Kennedy) Assasinations create LESS change, but political violence? And enduring it at the hands of the oppressors and showcasing it to the world? That has created GREAT change. As have Revolutions and Coups. My condolences to the family of Charlie Kirk.
You started out great and then you destroyed your credibility by saying that this violence is mostly a problem of the right. It is not, it is a problem for everyone. Not to acknowledge this is hypocritical of the highest order. WHEN ONE IS NOT SAFE NO ONE IS SAFE!!!!
U R one million percent correct, that’s just how they play their DIRTY GAMES, and they know the majority of these attacks and murders are done by RIGHT WING SUPPORTERS and let’s be real about this BS most or all of their supporters know this also, they are Masters at getting ahead of the game. You have one part of their base know that they are Lying and the other part that just tags along with them and their lies. Like I told some friends and people I know, there’s only two times that RepubliCons are lying and that’s when their Eyes are open and when they’re Closed in other words ALL THE DAMN TIME even when they try to tell the truth.
While Trump allows open csi in DC so his militias can be in plane along with the basins guard... make no mistake, violence is in the Trump plan anif the left is armed with morality, it will lots
Let's me fix that... "open carry", "in place", "it will lose"
Oh, and "National Guard"
GUNS REFORM on a national level but GOP republicans wont legislate AT ALL because the love of money and greed and power over ALL LIVES MATTER PERIOD, starting from 34 Felon and let’s not speak on mental health and illnesses , that’s been gutted OUT of the fabric of United States of American, thanks to the UGLY GOP Republicans Bill!
Great point here. In fact as the NYT reported some of Kirk’s political proclivities, he did say that such violence is part of the fabric of our country, perhaps suggesting that he may even have considered himself a target. Nonetheless, any loss of life from such violence is needless and certainly regrettable and the only fights we need to have are in forums where people speak - or write - and are able to offer retorts and let the audiences decide where they land in the spectrum of ideas.