Alleged Trump assertions about the left's propensity for violence lack empirical support.
In recent years, the issue of political violence has been a topic of significant concern. A study from the National Institute of Justice found that since 1990, far-right extremists have been responsible for more deaths in ideologically motivated attacks than their far-left counterparts, killing over six times as many people.
A series of polls conducted by various organisations, such as CBS-YouGov and PRRI, have shown that Republicans are more likely to consider violence as a means to address election results and gun policies. For instance, a December 2021 poll revealed that Republicans were more likely than Democrats to hold this belief.
The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, conducted a study tracking approximately 3,600 murders from politically motivated attacks over the past 50 years. The findings indicate that in the last five years alone, 44 people died at the hands of those with right-wing ideology, compared to 18 at the hands of those with left-wing ideology. The Cato study also found that right-wing ideology accounted for 391 of the deaths, compared to 65 for left-wing ideology.
Notable incidents of right-wing extremist violence include the NSU killings, while left-wing motivated attacks, such as the murder of conservative Charlie Kirk, demonstrate that both sides are involved in politically motivated violence. However, there are notable differences in justification and prevalence.
President Donald Trump has been involved in a broad crusade against speech he doesn't like, culminating in a successful pressure campaign to get Jimmy Kimmel off the air. Trump has also signaled he would label Antifa, a loose collection of far-left activists, a 'wing stop' organization.
The crackdown that Trump previewed after the death of Charlie Kirk is looking increasingly real. A year after January 6, 40% of Republicans and 23% of Democrats agreed that it could be 'justified for citizens to take violent action against the government,' according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll.
Interestingly, a study from the Network Contagion Research Institute, an independent group that tracks misinformation and hate, conducted last year showed about half of those on the left felt there could be some justification for the murder of Trump and Elon Musk. In the same study, among those on the left, about half picked an option other than 1 for both Trump and Musk, indicating they felt there could be some justification for these actions.
It's important to note that the Department of Justice appeared to remove a study from the National Institute of Justice from its website this week. This removal has raised concerns about transparency and the ongoing investigation into political violence.
As the issue of political violence continues to evolve, it's crucial for all parties to promote peaceful dialogue and resist the temptation to resort to violence as a means to address their disagreements.
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