Today political violence is becoming less of an anomaly and more of a cultural norm. Constant online buzz and nightly news channel coverings depict the concerning increase of these deadly events and how desensitized Americans have become to this type of violence.
Names like Charlie Kirk and Melissa Hortman represent the most mainstream and tragic cases of political violence in recent years, garnering a controversial online response. These attacks are devised to be politically polarizing and to create fear in the American people. Naturally, this creates an uprising in political polarization itself and causes others on the extreme political spectrum to retaliate in harsher ways.
On September 11th, 2025, Charlie Kirk, a 31 year old political podcaster and co-founder of Turning Point USA, a youth program that focuses on upholding conservative values for future generations, was assassinated while debating college students at Utah Valley University. Due to his large online presence and controversial opinions, many Americans knew his name and the values he stood for, which caused a great divide in public opinion.
The assassin Tyler James Robinson, a 22-year-old from Washington County, Utah, reportedly was politically motivated because he supported pro-gay and pro-trans-rights initiatives and said he “had enough of his hatred.” The targeting of not an actual political leader but instead a speaker and activist shows the shift in political violence in recent years. Instead of targeting officials who can create lawful change, they are targeting individuals who advocate for their views and promote a change in the opinion of their listeners, a direct attack on Americans’ right to free speech.
Following this attack Americans expressed their views on social media, many on both sides of the political spectrum paying their respects to Kirk and his family and reemphasizing the need to protect free speech and implement stricter gun laws. However, extremists on both sides lit fire under the topic and began online battles. On the left, extremists voiced their happiness for Kirk’s death and that political violence in this way benefitted society, while on the right extremists wanted retaliation and revenge for the death of Kirk.
This violence has increasingly translated to school campuses in recent years, as they are becoming more of an epicenter for shootings at the root of political polarization and controversial disputes amongst students. Especially as Kirk’s assasination took place during a college campus debate, this increasing gun violence threatens students’ confidence, comfort and ability in speaking out on issues for reform in an educational space. Students must now fear for their safety in engaging in political activism, inhibiting their fundamental right to speak freely and establishing a standard of silence.
On June 14th, 2025, Minnesota Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman was murdered in her home, along with her husband Mark Hortman and dog, in a politically motivated assasination by Vance Boelter. That same day, Boelter also targeted Minnesota Democratic Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman, who survived. Boelter specifically targeted Democratic officials, maintaining a list of dozens of state and federal politicians.
While Boelter insisted that his crimes were rooted in the Christian commandment to “love one’s neighbor” along with a two-year-long investigation against the officials, his motive against only Democratic politicians suggests the politically charged weight of his crimes. In the wake of the murders, extremists on both sides of the political spectrum derailed the conversation with opposing theories, suggesting the links of certain lawmakers to the root of the crimes. Rather than mourning the deceased, public discourse reflected the extent of our polarized society increasingly desensitized to political violence.
These back and forth attacks from both sides of the extreme political spectrum are creating more polarized parties in American politics and contribute to a never ending cycle of violence. With this, political figures as well as the average American will become scared to speak their opinions publicly, ultimately dismantling the freedom of speech Americans pride themselves on. The only true way to end this cycle is for politicians on both sides to come together and make a stand against political violence and pass bipartisan policy to prevent these attacks from happening in the future. With this activism, political violence willl decrease as well as the divide in political parties, leading to a comfortable society where anyone can share their views without fear of retaliation from their peers.
