Another day, another near-miss for Donald Trump. It would appear that the former president seems to be getting no breathing room lately, this latest incident at his Florida golf course hot on the heels of the Butler shooting just two months ago. I am glad Trump was uninjured, but this flurry of violence against political figures is deeply concerning and telling about the state of our nation.
Let's dive in for what happened:
A man armed with an AK-47-style rifle was lurking around bushes near Trump's golf course. Quick-thinking Secret Service agents opened fire, sending the suspect running away. Later apprehended, he was found to have multiple weapons and a GoPro camera. It is chilling, the thought of what could have taken place had it not been for the vigilance on the part of those agents.
Furthermore, this raises some really stark questions about how or whether we protect our political leaders. While credit is due to the swift action of the Secret Service, how does an armed assailant get that close to a former president? It's not that Trump's whereabouts at any one time are some sort of guarded secret, the man plays rounds of golf that are virtually public events. Are we doing enough in safeguarding our democracy from these kinds of threats?
Pull back for a second: this isn't about Trump, this is about no single politician. This is about a growing climate of political violence in America. We have seen an unnervingly increasing spate of threats against public officials from across the spectrum. From school board members to members of Congress, everyone seems not immune from this toxic brew of partisan hate mixed with easy access to weapons.
What's driving this trend?
I'd say that it is a perfect storm. Our super-polarized political atmosphere, in which opponents, rather than fellow citizens with different views, are often portrayed as existential threats, echo chambers in social media amplify extreme voices and conspiracy theories. And of course, there is the elephant in the room, America's longtime love affair with guns and the relative ease by which determined individuals can acquire powerful weapons.
These acts of violence have consequences far beyond the immediate victims. The violence is a corrosive force that is eating away at the very foundations of our democracy. Something is very wrong in our society when political figures must be surrounded by guns just to survive from one day to another. Where are we going to find people to run for office or participate in public life if they are afraid they will be shot? The chill on civic engagement is all too real, and profoundly disturbing.
But such incidents of political violence don't occur in a vacuum: They create a vicious circle of fear, mistrust, and further polarization. Every near miss or actual attack becomes fuel for partisan finger-pointing and demands for revenge. It's a noxious cycle that will only continue spiraling out of control if it is left to its own devices.
What, then, can be done?
There are obviously no easy answers, but we must start having some uncomfortable conversations as a nation.
We need to take a hard look at our gun laws and make a determination if they indeed serve to stop dangerous people from getting guns.
We have to invest money in improved mental health resources and early intervention programs with which to identify troubled individuals and get them help well in advance of violently acting out.
But perhaps most importantly, we need to dial down the rhetoric and remember our shared humanity. Political opponents are not enemies to be eliminated but fellow Americans with different views on how to tackle our common challenges.
We can disagree passionately without demonizing each other or resorting to threats and violence.
As for Trump himself, let us hope that this latest incident proves a wake-up call. His bombastic style and penchant for inflammatory rhetoric have undoubtedly contributed to the current climate of division. But then he is by no means solely responsible for America's political dysfunction, he at least has it within his power to be part of the solution.
A little more introspection and a lot less Twitter might go a long way.
