The murders of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and conservative activist Charlie Kirk show just how dangerous politics have become.
Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in their home June 14, along with their dog, Gilbert. Then, Sept 10, Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University during his “American Comeback Tour.”
These attacks did not come out of nowhere; our country is more divided than ever. Political parties do not just disagree; they seem to hate each other. In today’s society, people treat their opponents like enemies, not fellow Americans.
Hate speech and violent crimes have become more common, spreading online and in public life. This new era of technology makes violence feel more acceptable to some. Unfortunately, this is not something new; our history is marked by moments when political divisions have erupted into violence. Moments like the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert Kennedy along with the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. remind us that hatred and violence have long threatened our democracy.
If we want to stop more deaths like Hortman’s and Kirk’s, leaders on all sides and political parties need to take responsibility. We need stronger protections for those serving in public office or participating in the political world. We must start treating each other with basic respect, even when we disagree.
Both Hortman and Kirk believed deeply in what they stood for and used their voices to advocate for their values. If we want to honor their memories, we must reject violence and the hatred that leads to it. We must remember that our democracy depends not on the silencing of voices, but on the respectful exchange of ideas, even when they clash.
We must confront the dangerous divisions within our society, learn from the painful lessons of the past and commit ourselves to a culture where disagreement never turns into hatred or violence. This is not only a challenge for today’s leaders but a responsibility for every American. Only through empathy, respect and courage can we protect the promise of our democracy and honor those who have paid the ultimate price.
