Trump shooting is a sign of our violent, broken nation
In the aftermath of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, we are having the wrong conversation.
Commentators, politicians and everyday Americans keep saying this horrific event at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania is a symptom of our broken politics. I disagree. This is a symptom of a broken nation.
Sure, we see division and scorching rhetoric most often in our politics, but the embrace of misinformation to conform to one’s biases, the desire to destroy the reputations of people, places and things and the impulse to settle disagreements with violence affect every aspect of modern society.
And if we allow ourselves to absolve our sins in those other realms of life by putting the onus exclusively on politics, there is no way we will find a cure.
As I wrote in a column published the day of President Joe Biden’s inauguration, “Our challenge is not that we are so passionate about our ideology, our party or our candidate that we hate the other side; our challenge is that we are obsessed with ourselves and our perpetual rightness.”
The inability to accept that there could be a point of view other than our own point of view, coupled with a devaluing of life and the human experience, has brought us to a true inflection point.
Violence is common in American life
Look all around us. These moments that have nothing to do with politics and everything to do with a broken nation are occurring every day with frightening frequency.
Players in the WNBA have resorted to physical violence on the court, angry that one player attracts attention, crowds and lucrative endorsement deals. They will tell you it is a rough-and-tumble game, but it wasn’t until this particular player joined the league that the unapologetic elbows began to fly. Note: nothing to do with politics.
Outside of sports, the news is filled with stories of aggressive road rage incidents. Motorists are being shot and killed over inconsequential acts such as honking at an erratic driver or passing someone on the highway. Note: nothing to do with politics.
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Neighbors in the midst of disputes over lawns, dogs and after-hours noise are leapfrogging their homeowner associations or local authorities and choosing deadly force instead. Note: nothing to do with politics.
Passengers on commercial airliners worry less about safety than a fellow passenger, triggered by who knows what, pitching a fit and grounding the plane. Note: noting to do with politics.
Our individual interactions have a cumulative effect
We have sucked the joy out of life, preferring to find what we dislike about someone or something rather than what we like and admire.
In the workplace and at home, how are we responding and reacting to one another and to the triumphs and tragedies we face? How often do we lead with the negative in conversation?
I certainly do. A lot.
There are those who say − and I have heard this over and over − that each of our actions on social media and in the course of our day-to-day are isolated and insignificant. And that you or I spouting off and blowing steam on social media doesn’t matter. It’s one comment. It’s one throw-away thought. Who cares?
These comments, however, have a cumulative effect. When everyone thinks their conspiracy theory, hot take or personal attack doesn’t matter, by the time we realize they do matter, it’s too late.
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Now, while politics is not all that is broken, it might be that politics is what finally brings us to our senses as candidates and officials across the ideological spectrum meet the moment and call for unity. It is a nice sentiment and sorely needed. But left undefined is what unity means. It certainly cannot mean rallying around one candidate or one party. Unity is much more.
If they fail, if we fail, to acknowledge this problem extends beyond politics and is a part of our culture, a part of who we are, to be angry, annoyed, disrespectful and hateful toward one another, the cycle will continue unabated.
Therefore, we together as a nation must sidestep the inclination to cater to the misguided conversation that we only need to tone down the rhetoric and turn down the temperature of politics. Instead, we should all take a breath and reflect on all of our words and actions − not only how we express our politics.
We together created this mess, and we together must clean it up.
Pete Seat is a former White House spokesman, political commentator and author.