This writer is not sure how one could describe the effects of quid pro quo death threats or threats to one’s family as anything other than terrifying.  Perhaps it is because in the course of my career I lived with those threats even though I was simply responsible for a range of human services one would never expect to generate such hatred. I assumed it was part of the job for me and worked to develop protections for staff as close to zero tolerance as one could humanely achieve. The difference between now and then is then, no one, not the police, not the press, not the governor of my state, or anyone I worked for or with ever backed down to threats or supported the violence. 

Passive silence in these terrifying threatening events is support. The decision for violence is now seems based on the perceived likelihood of success or fame.  January 6 and the subsequent pardons pretty much up ended the world of public service as we know it by bending reality to suit the demands of violence and people who rely on violence to achieve agency. The current administration’s silence on the violence that suites their goals is crippling the public sector. When redistricting was being debated Indiana there was violence at the homes of public servants. One public servant politician said this about the impact of the threats to his household: “I had to have a conversation with my kids about what happens if police kick down our door and why that’s happening and what to do,” The problem wasn’t the police. The problem was people who thought it useful or fun to swat “demonized politicians”. I think we all know who is an expert in the demonization of opponents. Precursor speech can be violence when it negatively addresses groups of people based on race, ideology, political affiliation, religion, alone. Dog whistling violence was never intended to bo protected by the Constitution.

Modest Proposal for Good

Violence is always about agency. In addressing violence one must always take into account the agency of the person committing the violent act. There will be people with impaired agency and self assessment who may require restraint and treatment to return to their right minds. However these days, violence is becoming more than a tragic detour caused by brain injury or mental illness. Violence is becoming an extended form of public recreation and marking potential victims through stereotype as a strategic arms-length form of harming for cowards. . This is sadly more and more true in politics. Our leaders and campaign managers must first restrain themselves and condemn such behavior. In participating in the current strategic violence targeted narratives they become agents of violence. Social media is a junkyard of memes and demonizing cartoons shaping the pre-violent attitudes by suggesting these people (future victims) are not fully human but rather fools, evil, or sinners in general. We are cultivating our own form of terrorism in America. Starting with leadership we must clean up. If we don’t we needn’t worry about Iran because we will consume ourselves. Respect, self restraint, dignity and tolerance would be both unique and good as a first step.