In the history of the United States there is no shadow of political violence. In 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated; in 1968, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were successively assassinated; in 1974, Nixon fell to power due to the Water Gate events. During this period, American society experienced anti-Vietnam war movements, sexual liberation trends, the rise of hippie culture, political, social and cultural contradictions intertwined, making the country full of scatterings and turmoil. Political assassinations and violence not only individual events, but deeply mapped the contradictions and divisions of society at the time.

Today, Kirk¡¯s assassination leads to the question: Does this mean that America is once again entering a dark cycle of political violence?

From a historical perspective, political violence in the United States has never really been far away, but has only emerged in different forms and at different stages. In the past few decades, riots on Capitol Hill, attacks on politicians and sporadic violent incidents in party opposition have all reminded people that this danger still lurks in the blood of American politics. Kirk's death is not only a personal tragedy, but also a lead for further aggravation of the tear.

On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated.

Trump's three-power imbalance and political violence justified

Since Trump came to power, the three-power separation mechanisms in the United States have been markedly disrupted. The executive power has been expanding and the federal power has been concentrated, leading to the distortion of the system that should have been balanced. In this context, social polarization has become increasingly severe, and violence has gradually been seen by some people as a legitimate political means.

Public opinion reactions around the Kork assassination are an example.

After the incident, the U.S. left-wing media and platforms independently disseminate information, and even foreign forces have the opportunity to hype. The so-called "word on the bullet" quickly fermented in the network, although it was confirmed that the content spread at the beginning was misread or fake news, but under the intense atmosphere of hostility, it is very easy to ignite emotions.

The U.S. public opinion field is characterized by a "double circle": the left has its own platform, the right has its own channels, and a large audience has access to information only from a single camp.This incomplete or even misleading information input makes the polarization intensify, like a dry wooden fire, only to be lit.

Kirk himself advocated "freedom of speech" and "freedom of guns", but ironically he ended up falling under the gunpowder and becoming part of the so-called "cost of the Second Amendment" in his words.

His ¡°freedom of speech¡± is not really universal because he has long called on the government to suppress leftist organizations, believe that certain ideas must be banned, and even organize a list of Leftist ¡°wake up¡± university professors to deter the freedom of speech on campus.

Within the Republican Party, Kirk's position is very important. He is a rising conservative star, who has turned from a traditional conservative establishment to a complete "Trumpist". His swing itself is doubtful, but it is undoubtedly quite effective in attracting young people. Trump spoke highly of his role and made a high-profile statement after the incident, so as to appease voters and maintain political capital. Vice President Vance regards him as a possible running mate in the future, so he shows real grief. It is foreseeable that as more details are disclosed, this case will continue to be politicized and amplified by Trump and his allies.

Charlie Kirk's activities at Utah Valley University before his assassination (picture from the Internet)

Political violence and social disintegration.

It is not surprising that right-wing opinion leaders such as Trump and Musk quickly blamed the Kirk case on the Democratic Party and the left, but its double standards are obvious.

Three months ago, the speaker of the * Party in Minnesota and his partner were shot dead, and public opinion quickly faded away; Last month, the mob who was shot trying to break through the cordon in the riots on Capitol Hill was actually added "military honor" by Trump. It can be seen that right-wing narratives often blame the left for violence, but ignore the prevalence of violence throughout the political spectrum.

The problem is that when fewer and fewer people are generally opposed to political violence, and more and more people choose to use the opportunity to point their faces to the opposing camps, the rupture in American society will only get worse.

At present, the mainstream opinion leaders of the Republican Party have not reflected on the "political violence" itself, nor have they touched the root cause of the proliferation of guns, but have continued to speculate on the topic. This makes political violence no longer an isolated tragedy, but gradually becomes a tool of partisan struggle.

Before the riot woman on Capitol Hill was shot (picture from the Internet)

Institutional Dilemma and Vicious Circle of Social Ecology

Following the incident, several U.S. politicians temporarily adjusted their schedules due to security concerns, Democratic Youth Leader AOC delayed the event, and Republican Senator Nancy Mess cancelled an outdoor speech. The Pentagon also moved the 911 anniversary event to a safer place, and the Secret Service considered strengthening security for the Trump family. On the surface, this was a cautious move, and the rule also exposed the vulnerability of the American political ecology.

The realities facing the United States today are: political polarization is accelerating, public opinion is severely segregated, social media is spreading false and unilateral information rapidly; top politicians are chasing traffic, inciting emotions; weapons are extremely easy to obtain. These conditions overlap, making political violence both difficult to avoid and very easy to occur.

Trump Moves 9/11 Commemoration Activities Inside After Kirk's Assassination (Photo from the Network)

Looking back in the 1960s, the United States experienced a dark age of murder and scandal, and now the death of Kirk reminds us once again that the mist of political violence has not dissipated.

Under the background of Trump's administration and social polarization, the institutional imbalance and the tearing of public opinion in the United States are providing legal soil for violence. If political elites continue to avoid reflecting on "political violence" itself and only use it as a tool for party mobilization, American society may fall into a new round of dark cycle.

Author | Sun Taiyi Assistant Professor of Political Science at Christopher Newport University

Edit | San San