Rising political violence in the US poses a threat to democracy

Editor’s Note: Stephen Ndegwa, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is the Executive Director of South-South Dialogues, a Nairobi-based think tank for communication development. The article reflects the views of the author and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

In recent years, the United States has seen an increase in political violence, including assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump and other elected officials. These violent events are symptomatic of a broader problem that is undermining the foundations of American democracy.

An increase in political violence is evident from statistics from the US Capitol Police, where threats against members of Congress increased tenfold between 2016 and 2021. The number of reported threats in 2020 was more than 8,600, while the number of reported threats in 2016 was approximately 902. This increase in aggression led to the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, where Trump supporters marched on the building with the aim of stopping the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. The political violence left five people dead and more than 140 police officers injured.

Another significant event occurred on June 14, 2017, when left-wing terrorist James Hodgkinson opened fire on Republican members of the Congressional baseball team in Alexandria, Virginia, seriously wounding House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and four other people. Hodgkinson, who had a history of anti-Republican rhetoric, was motivated by his extreme hatred of the GOP and the Trump administration.

On October 28, 2022, Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was attacked with a hammer by David DePape, a man radicalized by right-wing conspiracy theories. DePape’s goal was to injure Nancy Pelosi, whom he saw as a key player in Democratic Party policy.

In a Gallup poll conducted in September 2023, 32 percent of Americans said they trusted Congress, a six percentage point decline from last year. This is because threats and violence undermine public trust and make it difficult for elected officials to govern the country.

People have turned to social media sites like Facebook, X and YouTube to spread conspiracy theories, including QAnon, a conspiracy movement that claims the world is controlled by a group of criminals. These theories have emboldened people like Anthony Comello, who murdered alleged mafia boss Francesco Cali in March 2019 because he believed he was killing part of what is known as the deep state.

The role that social media plays in inciting violence is further highlighted by the rise of groups like the Proud Boys and Antifa. These two groups have used these social media platforms to call for violent demonstrations, such as the one in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12, 2017, during the “Unite the Right” march. That day, white supremacist James Alex Fields Jr. drove his car into a group of counter-protesters, killing Heather Heyer and injuring many others.

There are many reasons why people engage in political violence. Some seek change due to economic hardship, personal problems, or feelings of powerlessness, and for this reason some of them are willing to use extreme methods. This is evident in the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, in which Robert Bowers, influenced by anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, attacked the Tree of Life synagogue on October 27, killing 11 people. Bowers was inspired by hatred of immigrants and Jews, which was spread via social media on sites considered far-right.

Political violence undermines the basic principles of democracy. The US, once synonymous with democracy and political stability, now finds itself in a situation where political figures are being threatened for their opinions. The shooting at the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh in June 2022, in response to the leaked decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, shows that legal decisions are a reason to use violence.

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs was inundated with death threats after she certified the results of the 2020 election, and people protested outside her office. Hobbs later testified that these threats made her feel unsafe, a sentiment shared by many election officials across the country. As these threats increase, the ability of elected officials to carry out their duties is undermined.

The US is at a crossroads. If this tide of political violence is not managed properly, the country could become a place where might trumps right. Political leaders must act to condemn violence without equivocation, while social media companies must do more to address the problem of extremism. To remain a democratic country, the US must urgently address this problem before the rule of law is swallowed up by growing political intolerance.

(If you would like to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at [email protected]. Follow @thouse_opinions (on X, formerly Twitter, to discover the latest comments in the CGTN Opinion Section.)