At first, many people wondered: were the photos that started flooding social media manipulated by artificial intelligence? No, it is true. America seems to be entering a new dark age, divided in two by great hostility. And if America goes dark, the whole world will follow.
The topic will now shift dramatically, moving away from the debate over President Biden’s age. Political violence will resurface. Memories of the assassination of John F. Kennedy will resurface. Even thoughts of the American Civil War may arise.
“God bless America” has never been more necessary. America needs all of us. Let us consider Aristotle’s three virtues that define us as a nation: justice, courage, and temperance. And let us go forward together, united in the days to come.
For those of me who grew up in the generation that experienced the assassinations of the 1960s, the attacks on former President Donald Trump are a reminder that our country and its political system can be shocked and upset in an instant. But in the face of current rhetoric across the political spectrum, no one should really be surprised when the bellicose words of the mentally unstable and deranged are heard as a call to action.
That is why we need a pact of civility now more than ever, not just on a macro-political level, but also on a micro-personal level. It is long past time for political leaders and speechwriters to eschew the hyperbolic rhetoric and embellished themes that escalate important, heartfelt disagreements into rancorous, harmful discord.
And on a personal level, each of us should take responsibility by asking ourselves whether we are driven by a desire to incite and provoke, rather than by reflection and searching for the truth, when we share news stories.
Such simple measures cannot guarantee the return of civility to our political life or our personal interactions, but they will at least begin the long and winding journey.
Chuck Catro, Westbury, New York
The author served as Legislative Director for Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.).
We watched with shock, sadness and anger the news of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, an event reminiscent of the trauma of the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.
Our beautiful nation emerged after World War II as an exemplary republic and an economic and political power. During this time, the United States has played a key role in promoting democracy and good governance around the world. At home, our political leaders in the House and Senate handled differences with relative civility and reached political agreements based on the demands of their constituents and the national interest of the United States.
Unfortunately, in recent years, our great political and democratic system has become mired in the impasse of tribal politics. Politics of discord and division have negatively affected how people perceive one another, and those with different opinions and ideologies are demonized. It is time for reconciliation in the United States.
Reconciliation is an act of empathy, mercy, truth, compassion, acceptance, forgiveness, and justice. The responsibility falls on the leadership of the House and Senate to acknowledge past wrongs, accept responsibility for them, and in this spirit, adopt a philosophy of empathy, acceptance, and forgiveness.
Attack on the Republic
I do not like or support Donald Trump, but attempting to assassinate a former president was a heinous act of political violence that should not and cannot be accepted in America.
Coups and assassinations happen in developing countries and dictatorships, not in the greatest democracies on earth. To be clear, the attempted assassination of Mr. Trump was a direct threat to our 248-year-old democratic republic and a threat to every politician in a country that has become a battleground in the truest sense of the word.
Perhaps this threat of death will convince the former president to stop his ugliest rhetoric. I hope this incident is not the start of a retaliatory violent attack on Democratic leaders by someone itching for an excuse to lash out and attack our democracy. I commend the men and women of the Secret Service for acting swiftly and professionally. Their job has become many times more difficult.
Henry A. Lowenstein, Newport, Rhode Island
Violence of any kind is never acceptable, but political violence runs counter to the founding principles of our country. Everyone, regardless of their political stance, especially politicians, has the right to voice their opinion for or against any issue. Anyone who lived through the 60s knows the trauma that comes with assassinations and the long-term impact they have on the psyche of a nation.
While I disagree with everything Donald Trump stands for, I still support his right to say what he wants. My only hope is that he learns from this life-threatening experience and refrains from his erratic style of politics.
Fighting disillusionment
Hatred has won. The country has lost. People are angry, and some are treating violence as a legitimate option. The 1860s was a battle between the blue and the gray. The country barely survived. Now it’s a battle between the red and the blue.
What is the future when there is no neutral position, no one to speak civilly, and only anger governs how we think and act? People will simply withdraw and give up on the country. “I’m tired, I can’t take it anymore” will become a common refrain. Democracy without participation is not democracy. A motivated minority will rule in totality, and the majority will simply bow their heads and try to get by day by day.
Like any disease that takes its course, most of us Americans can only hope that the disease is not fatal.
Michael J. McCullough, Mays Landing, New Jersey
Awakening
Could an attempted assassination of a former president remind us all of the desperate need for gun control in this country?
Nora Post, Kingston, New York
Regarding the July 14 editorial, “What Does America Want?”:
With all due respect, this is a meaningless editorial. This is not a critical turning point. Just ask about Sandy Hook. Uvalde. If we are not willing to do what is necessary to protect our children, why do you think we feel differently about our politicians?
What will it take to turn the tide of violence? All of us, including the politicians who have created or enabled the epidemic of violence facing our country.
What about the Secret Service?
The rooftop where the shooter was positioned should have been under direct Secret Service surveillance. At least two or three Secret Service agents should have been on the highest roof in the warehouse area, at which point they would have spotted the shooter and neutralized or killed him before he could open fire.
The rooftop was within 150 yards of the stage where Donald Trump was speaking and had an unobstructed view. No one should have been on a rooftop with a clear view within 1,500 yards. If you can’t protect the area from snipers, then you should put bulletproof glass around the perimeter of the stage or podium. This isn’t rocket science.
Wayne L. Johnson, Alexandria
Sad headline
The July 13 front-page headline, “Biden Gives Trump Artillery Drill,” was an unfortunate choice by The Washington Post’s editors. It is past time to tone down violent expressions in civil discourse, even if they are accidental.
Margaret McKelvey, Arlington
