When Political Violence Hits White America, Suddenly It’s Time For a Change
The recent assassinations and targeted shootings of Democratic lawmakers and their families have sent shockwaves through mainstream media and political circles. But for Black communities, this isn’t some disturbing new trend—it’s a continuation of what we’ve been warning about for generations. The only difference? Now that violence is spilling into white households and Capitol Hill offices, it’s suddenly a national emergency.
From the firebombing of a governor’s mansion to the killing of Israeli embassy staff, headlines are stacking up. But the truth is, political violence has never left America.
Black Americans Have Been Living With This Forever
While experts now say we’re living in “a scary time,” as one political scientist from Georgetown put it, Black America knows otherwise. This has always been scary.
Before Trump. Before January 6. Before anyone started keeping count of political killings.
Lynchings. Church bombings. Police assassinations. Targeted attacks on Black leaders, organizers, and families simply for existing or demanding justice. For us, political violence isn’t a crisis—it’s a constant. It just rarely gets labeled that way unless the victims look like they belong in power.
So when we hear phrases like “unprecedented political violence” or “norms are eroding,” we ask: What norms? Because if political stability means safety for some and state-sanctioned violence for others, that’s not stability.
We’ve Been Sounding the Alarm. Nobody Listened.
For years, Black scholars, activists, journalists—and everyday people—have been calling attention to the rising temperature of political extremism. The threats weren’t abstract. They were felt in polling places, school board meetings, and traffic stops. And yet, no one took it seriously until it hit diplomats, lawmakers, and suburban neighborhoods.
Now, after high-profile attacks on figures like Nancy Pelosi’s husband, synagogue worshippers, and elected officials, analysts are finally asking how we got here. But this violence didn’t just show up with Trump. His presidency accelerated it, yes—but the groundwork was already laid in America’s refusal to reckon with its past and present.
Trump Didn’t Invent It—He Just Made It Trendy
To be clear, Donald Trump didn’t start America’s political violence problem. But he has made it mainstream. His rhetoric has normalized threats, justified aggression, and even pardoned those involved in violent attempts to overthrow the government. He’s been both a symptom and a catalyst—fueling conspiracies while positioning himself as their victim.
The fact that he pardoned those involved in the January 6 insurrection, then demanded military force to crack down on immigration protests in L.A. just this week, sends a clear message: violence is acceptable—as long as it serves his agenda.
Experts like Jacob Ware from the Council on Foreign Relations say extremism now feels “more random, chaotic, and frequent.” But for us, it’s never felt random. It’s targeted. It’s strategic. And when law enforcement shifts resources from investigating white supremacist terrorism to arresting migrants, the outcomes are predictable—and deadly.
Extremism Isn’t Always Loud—Sometimes It’s Policy
While mass shootings and firebombings grab headlines, many forget that political violence also looks like voter suppression, redlining, mass incarceration, and school censorship. It’s in the systems that quietly erode the lives of marginalized people. It’s in the policies that are passed under the guise of “law and order,” but designed to harm.
Political violence varies, it’s not only when bullets fly or bombs go off. The daily assaults on civil rights, economic opportunity, and bodily autonomy are just as damaging—and often go unnoticed until the chaos touches the white electorate.
We’re Not Just in a Crisis—We’re in a Mirror
This moment isn’t just about political instability. It’s about a country finally being forced to look at itself—and not liking what it sees.
The extremists aren’t hiding anymore. They’re in office. They’re on police forces. They’re managing social media platforms. And they’re using violence—rhetorical and physical—to hold onto power.
As Nancy Pelosi said after the Minnesota shootings: “It’s not only the act of violence, but also the reaction to it, that can normalize it.” That normalization has already happened—for us. We’ve been expected to accept it.
The real question now is: Will white America accept it too—or finally do something about it?
