Political Violence in America: What Most People Get Wrong

Honestly, if you turn on the news lately, it feels like the country is a powder keg. We see the headlines—the assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk in Utah last September, the fatal shooting of Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman, or the arson at the New Mexico GOP headquarters—and it’s easy to think we're sliding into some kind of inevitable civil war. But here is the thing: what we see on social media and what is actually happening on the ground are two very different stories.

Most of us are exhausted. We’re just trying to pay rent and get through the week. Yet, political violence in america has become this looming shadow that makes every election feel like a high-stakes gamble with safety.

The Reality of the "Vicious Spiral"

We’re currently living through what researchers at the Toda Peace Institute call a "vicious spiral." It isn't just one side or one group. In 2025, for the first time in over three decades, the number of left-wing domestic terrorism incidents actually surpassed those from the far right, according to data from CSIS. But don't let that one stat fool you into thinking it's a simple "both sides" tally. The far right still maintains a massive historical lead in lethal attacks, and the FBI continues to label lone-wolf offenders—often radicalized in digital echo chambers—as the single greatest threat to the homeland in 2026.

It’s not just the big, flashy assassinations that are changing the vibe of the country. It’s the "small" stuff. The Bridging Divides Initiative at Princeton tracked over 600 incidents of threats and harassment against local officials in 2024 alone. That’s a 10% jump from the year before. We’re talking about school board members getting death threats because of a curriculum vote. Election workers quitting because people found their home addresses. This is "vigilante activity," and it’s becoming the new normal for how some people handle political disagreement.

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Why does this keep happening?

It’s basically a toxic cocktail of three things:

1. The "Perception Gap": We think the "other side" is way more violent than they actually are. Research from the Polarization Research Lab shows Americans overestimate their opponents' support for violence by nearly 400%.
2. The Rise of the Influencer: Political parties are getting weaker. Influencers who thrive on rage are getting stronger. When a party structure collapses, it can't vet the "crazy" out of the room anymore.
3. Trait Victimhood: This is a big one in psychological circles right now. If someone feels like their entire identity is under attack—whether it’s their religion, their gender, or their "way of life"—they are statistically much more likely to justify a violent response as "self-defense."

The Myth of the "Unified Extremist"

One of the biggest misconceptions about political violence in america is that it’s all coming from organized groups like militias or shadowy underground cells.

Actually, it’s mostly just guys in their basements.

The FBI and DHS have been banging this drum for years: the "lone offender" is the hardest to catch because they don't have a membership card. They aren't meeting in a forest; they’re scrolling a feed. They see a meme, they get angry, and they act alone.

Take the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in late 2024. While the motives were tied to healthcare grievances, the way the internet turned the suspect, Luigi Mangione, into a "folk hero" overnight is a perfect example of how quickly we normalize violence when it targets someone we’ve been told to hate. We’ve stopped seeing "opponents" and started seeing "enemies."

The Geography of Tension

It isn't just DC. The violence is hyper-local.

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• Texas: An ICE officer shot outside a detention facility.
• Illinois: Bomb threats at hotels hosting out-of-state lawmakers.
• Pennsylvania: An arson attack on Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence.
• Georgia: Constant swatting calls against election certification officials.

What the Data Actually Says (The Good News)

Wait, there’s good news? Sorta.

Despite the scary headlines, the vast, vast majority of Americans—we're talking 93% to 97%—absolutely loathe the idea of political violence. A Marquette Law School poll from late 2025 found that 89% of people agree that violence is "always unjustified."

The problem is the "vocal 3%." In a country of 330 million people, 3% is still millions of people. But when we see accurate data about how much our "enemies" actually hate violence, our own willingness to support it drops by almost half.

The "vicious spiral" is fueled by the lie that "they" are coming for "us," so we better hit them first.

Moving Past the Rage

So, what do we actually do? This isn't just a "thoughts and prayers" situation. If we want to lower the temperature on political violence in america, we have to change the environment that makes it profitable.

First, we have to kill the "Perception Gap." When you see a post saying "the other side wants you dead," check the source. They’re usually selling something—a subscription, a supplement, or a vote. Realize that your neighbor who has the "wrong" sign in their yard probably just wants lower grocery prices, not a civil war.

Second, demand "Rhetorical Accountability." We’ve become way too comfortable with "eliminationist" language. When a politician calls an opponent "vermin" or "a threat to the existence of the state," they are providing the moral permission for a lone wolf to pick up a gun.

Third, focus on the local. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace points out that the most effective way to de-radicalize a community is through "cross-cutting identities." That’s fancy talk for: join a bowling league, a community garden, or a volunteer group where you have to talk to people who don't think like you. It’s much harder to dehumanize someone when you’ve shared a coffee with them.

Actionable Steps for 2026

If you're worried about the state of the country, don't just sit there and doomscroll. Here is how you can actually contribute to a more stable society:

1. Audit Your Feed: If an account only posts things that make you feel "righteous anger," unfollow it for a week. See how your stress levels change.
2. Support Local Election Officials: They are under immense pressure. Volunteer to be a poll worker or simply send a thank-you note to your county clerk’s office. It sounds cheesy, but it helps prevent the "chilling effect" that drives good people out of public service.
3. Call Out the "Hero" Narrative: When violence happens, regardless of who it targets, refuse to engage in the "he had it coming" discourse. Once we start celebrating the death of "the bad guys," we’ve already lost.
4. Use De-escalation Tools: If a political discussion at dinner or online starts getting heated, use "I" statements. "I feel worried when..." instead of "You people always..." It breaks the defensive loop.

We aren't as divided as the algorithms want us to be. The history of political violence in america is long and dark, but it has always been the work of the few, not the many. The many just have to start speaking up.