It should go without saying that people shouldn’t resort to violence against people campaigning for or holding office at any level of government.
But, sometimes, the “should go without saying” needs to be said anyway.
Political violence is not the answer.
On Saturday, a 20-year-old man tried to assassinate former United States President Donald Trump as Trump campaigned for this year’s presidential election at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump’s ear was bloodied during a barrage of gunfire at the rally. Despite the injury, Trump was “fine,” according to his campaign, but a spectator at the rally was killed and others were injured.
The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot dead by the Secret Service.
President Joe Biden condemned the violence in a statement Saturday after the assassination attempt, and, in an address Sunday night, said that “we must never descend into violence.”
We echo Biden’s sentiments.
This presidential race has already been a heated one, with staunch supporters on both sides of the aisle, and that’s sure to continue as the Nov. 5 election nears.
But, no matter the ideological disagreements between any of the candidates, the election must be allowed to proceed fairly and safely.
“All of us now face a time of testing as the election approaches,” Biden said Sunday. “There is no place in America for this kind of violence — for any violence. Ever. Period. No exception. We can’t allow this violence to be normalized.”
No matter what candidate you support, all Americans should agree on that statement.
Political violence is not the answer.