Say No To Political Violence: Time To Find the Off-ramp

Politics and violence crossroads.

I am an American and I do not condone political violence

against others who hold different political views from mine.

At a Crossroads

In the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, many people in the United States are beginning to think about how to prevent political violence and about the danger of not doing so. The Republican Governor of Utah, Spencer Cox said:

“The problem with political violence is it metastasizes, because we can always point the finger at the other side. And at some point we have to find an off-ramp, or it's going to get much, much worse.”

Americans agree. Most Americans (71%) think that our current political climate makes political violence more likely than normal. Only 11% think the country is somewhat or very united.

This division can lead and has led to devastating consequences, including political violence. In a polarizing op-ed poorly received on the left, New York Times writer Ezra Klein lamented the killing of Charlie Kirk, who he said was “practicing politics the right way”, i.e. trying to express his views in the marketplace of ideas and exercising his First Amendment free speech rights. Klein emphasized:

“The foundation of a free society is the ability to participate in politics without fear of violence. To lose that is to risk losing everything. Charlie Kirk — and his family — just lost everything. As a country, we came a step closer to losing everything, too.”

Governor Cox and Ezra Klein have pinpointed what’s at stake if we allow the current polarized and violent political situation to escalate. What’s at stake are safety, peace, freedom of assembly, free speech, and possibly our country itself. 

Political Violence Affects All Americans

Before we assess the effect of political violence in the United States, we must first define “political violence.” Definitions and implications of political violence abound. At its most basic level, political violence can be viewed as:

physical harm or threats of physical harm motivated by political intention

The fear of political violence in the voting process, or in exercising First Amendment rights, can lead the population to not turn out to vote or to not express their ideas or assemble to do so. A 2024 panel of experts in political violence stressed that:

“The threat of political violence is just as detrimental to the American psyche as the violent events themselves.”

Observers from other countries believe the United States is “mired in political violence” and that the killing of Charlie Kirk “lays bare America’s broken and bloody politics”. Americans do too. As of September 11, 2025, 87% of Americans see political violence as a problem, 60% as a big problem. At the same time, most Americans (72%) don’t believe that political violence is ever justified, according to a recent YouGov poll.

Research reveals the growing bloodiness of American politics, despite our rejection of the idea of political violence. Attacks on election workers, threats to judges and legislators across the political spectrum, and attacks on state governors are all on the rise.

Foreign nations who seek to undermine the United States use tragedies like the Kirk assassination to spread disinformation in the US aimed at further stoking anger and polarization. For all these reasons, as Cox and Klein opined, political violence is a shared, metastatic American problem with fatal consequences for all.

It affects Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and all citizens alike. Political violence and our reaction to it are a pressing problem for everyone in the United States. Full stop.

Polarization Prevents Us From Acting According to Our Beliefs

Despite our beliefs about political violence, major political parties react differently to political violence, depending on who the victim is (“the party effect”). YouGov has found in conducting polling about politics and violence over many years that:

“. . . while Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say political violence is a very big problem in September 2025, in the wake of Kirk's shooting, the reverse has been true when YouGov has asked this question after attacks on Democratic political figures. How concerned Americans are about political violence is related to some degree to whether someone from their side or from the other side is the most recent to be attacked.”

YouGov data compiled from “Democrats and Republicans are more likely to say political violence is a big problem after attacks on members of their own party”

In our hyper-partisan environment, we have become more callous to political violence when perpetrated against a victim with differing views from our own, and more concerned when the victim shares our views. Then finger pointing and blame can ensue rather than collective action against political violence writ large.

“The core problem … is a profound misperception of the other side" according to Sean Westwood, Director of the Dartmouth Polarization Research Center. This disconnect between our beliefs and our reactions, fueled by media, echo chambers, polarization, and party rhetoric, prevents many of us from recognizing the problem as a whole. But political violence in the United States is a national problem that can only be solved by Americans working together.

Just Say No to Political Violence

We, as citizens, can pro-actively counteract the disconnect between our views and behavior, i.e. the “party effect”. Then we can break the cycle and ratcheting up of violence and hate.

We can act together as Americans, in accordance with our own values and the values of our country, one of which is the right to free speech and the right to peaceful assembly. Indeed, these rights are given to all and are only rights when all Americans possess them, no matter their political views.

We can sign this pledge attesting that:

I am an American and I do not condone political violence against others who hold different political views from mine.

After signing, we can send the pledge to others and let them know why we signed, and what’s at stake. Then we might try to act on our beliefs.

Learn What the “Other Side” Thinks

Research is clear. If we want to help dissipate threats of and prevent political violence infecting the US, we can try to understand the other side’s opinion about and our own reactions to:

• the killings of Charlie Kirk and Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and her husband

• the invasion of Representative Nancy Pelosi’s home and attack on Paul Pelosi and Governor Josh Shapiro and his family

• the assassination attempts against President Trump

If we know details about or care only about some of these incidents, we can research what happened in the others. We can think about how we came to our “facts”, and what might unintentionally or intentionally have been left out, amplified, or ignored in the news we received about the incident. Then we can ask if we are viewing this violent crime with our best selves and in accordance with the belief that political violence is never justified.

We might try to create a more balanced media diet so we understand political violence better, not just through one lens. We can condemn and hate all these actions. Being aware of the tendency to discount violence against those with whom we disagree, and taking time to think and investigate, can help us react more effectively to political violence and to see it as the national problem it is.

Talk to People, Face-to-Face

Trying to understand the other side might involve talking to a friend or family member who has expressed outrage about an act of violence or vitriol at the political view or group they hold responsible.

In person is best, or a video call. Create a face-to-face dialogue.

Ask them to explain why they care so much about what happened and what they’re afraid of, telling them you want to understand. Don’t just tell them that: mean it.

Try to look together at information about the incident, victim, perpetrator, and reactions to the violence. Odds are you will both learn something you didn’t know. If this seems too loaded a topic, start smaller with pleasantries and a point of agreement.

One Small Step for Our Country

We can all try to talk to others civilly about political violence and the issues that divide us. This approach may seem trivial, but it may be the only way out of the viper’s nest of hate and political violence. Civil discourse and exchange of ideas provide an off-ramp from political violence.

Intentional and respectful communication will decrease political violence in our country. Anyone and everyone can try. All we need to do is to open our minds and lower our tone. By talking together about political violence and creating respectful discussion, we can reduce political violence and instead re-create community and trust.

Uncomfortable, yes. Difficult at times, yes. But we, and the United States of America, are worth the effort.

Civil conversation can protect our children from political violence.

I am an American and I do not condone political violence against others who hold different political views from mine.

Want to know more?

• “What is political violence"? The United Nations defines political violence as hostile, aggressive or violent acts motivated by political objectives or a desire to directly or indirectly affect political change or change in governance. As a phenomenon, political violence may include a range of political acts from riots, coups, rebellions, uprisings and terrorism to violent acts committed by state and non-state actors, including pogroms, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. However, everyone has the right to peaceful assembly, as enshrined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which imposes a corresponding obligation on States parties to respect and ensure its exercise, without discrimination.

• Read our blog about how to lower the temperature after an act of political violence, written immediately after President Trump was shot.

• View the Statement on the Assassination of Charlie Kirk by Braver Angels for a non-partisan view of political violence and the need for all of us to “stop this cycle of mutual destruction”.

• Visit the Braver Angels website to set up a safe conversation with others with whom you disagree and for much useful information.

• Read “I Disagreed With Charlie Kirk But Violence Is Never the Solution”.