Pennsylvania politicians came out with eloquent denouncements about the brutal murder of Charlie Kirk.
Gov. Josh Shapiro: “We must speak with moral clarity. The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying, and this growing type of unconscionable violence cannot be allowed in our society.”
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman: “Our family grieves for Charlie Kirk’s family. We must collectively find a way forward during these polarized times.”
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick: “This horrifying trend of political violence in our country must come to an end.”
U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick: “Morally wrong, fundamentally un-American, and intolerable in any and all forms.”
U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean: “Political violence is never the answer — and we must never tolerate such despicable action. Our nation is better than this.”
Wait a minute – those statements sound awfully familiar. We heard virtually the same comments in July 2024, in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on President Donald J. Trump and the killing of Corey Comperatore.
At the time, Shapiro said, “Political disagreements can never ever be addressed in violence.”
Fitzpatrick said, “Political violence has no justification or any place in America – against anyone, for any reason, at any time.”
McCormick said, “….This is a line that’s been crossed here that is just horrific and unforgivable.”
Fetterman said, “It’s shocking, and it’s a dark, dark day for our nation.”
Carefully crafted public relations statements do absolutely nothing to keep us safe. Despite the platitudes that echoed across the nation and across the commonwealth in July 2024, nothing changed. In fact, the situation worsened.
The Secret Service caught a would-be assassin staking out President Trump while he played golf in Florida just a few months later. That clearly deranged individual can currently be found in a federal courtroom in Florida, refusing a lawyer while defending himself with irrelevant pontifications, making a mockery of the legal process.
In recent memory, these bullets fly in one direction. While leaders of both parties must take a long, hard look at solutions, the political party and belief system that appears to be producing these homicidal maniacs should be in crisis mode and start coming up with an actionable plan to shut down political violence.
Start with zero tolerance for branding those who disagree with you as fascists and Nazis. When you let that rhetoric fester, those among us who are ill, delusional, or just plain evil see that as a call for bloodshed.
Reasonable people agree that America should be a nation of ideas, not internal brutality. However, the more our political leaders simply repeat that sentiment, it gets reduced to ineffective boilerplate language. And attempts to deflect by pointing out the sins of the other side only fan the flames.
Voters should take notice. These leaders work for us. We did not hire them so simply put out well crafted social media statements. If they cannot have the courage to stand up, even to those in their own party, then they are in the wrong job and also share culpability.
Demand better or vote them out.