Left, Right & Center America is in a dark era of political violence
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Sep 12, 2025 Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown's Institute of Politics, and Mike Dupke, veteran GOP strategist, delve into the troubling rise of political violence in America. They discuss the recent assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk and its implications for democracy. The duo examines the dangerous rhetoric fueling extremism and calls for a reevaluation of how political discourse is conducted. They also explore U.S. foreign policy under Trump and its effectiveness in addressing global conflicts, questioning whether Democrats have better solutions.
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Escalation From Rhetoric To Violence
- Political violence in the U.S. has escalated from rhetoric to assassinations and assassination attempts.
- This trend threatens democratic norms and the safe practice of political debate on campuses and beyond.
Debate As Democratic Practice
- Charlie Kirk engaged audiences by debating and asking questions rather than just shouting.
- That exchange of ideas on campuses is central to democratic discourse and was precisely what he was doing when killed.
Violence Is An American Problem
- Political violence is not limited to one ideology; both left and right targets exist.
- Framing it as solely an ideological problem prevents addressing broader drivers of extremism.