Can Gen Z Address the Latest Act of Political Violence Marked by Trump Shooting?
TL/DR –
Former President Donald Trump was struck in the ear by a bullet, narrowly avoiding death, at a rally. In addition to Trump, one person was killed and two others were critically hurt in the attack. The writer of this USA Today opinion piece calls on Generation Z, which will reportedly constitute a majority of the voting population by 2028, to help alleviate the escalating tensions in American politics.
On Saturday, while enroute to a friend\’s house, I was shocked to hear that Donald Trump was struck by a bullet in the ear, narrowly avoiding an assassination attempt.
Upon arrival, the news was already on and, over the next few hours, it was revealed that one crowd member was killed in the attack, and two others were in critical condition.
![\"Secret](\"https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/07/14/USAT/74398032007-20240714-t-001600-z-1427579274-rc-2-mu-8-adfccz-rtrmadp-3-usaelectiontrump.JPG?width=660&height=441&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp\")
Saturday marked a dark day in my memory of American politics. Our generation has seen too much political violence.
Trump assassination attempt is a sad reflection of US politics
The escalating political tensions in our country is disconcerting for young voters. Our generation is entering an acrimonious political climate, highlighted by the Trump assassination attempt.
The heated rhetoric has escalated to the point where we’re witnessing a rise in targeted violence against public officials, harkening back to the assassination attempts of the 1960s.
Consequences of partisan rhetoric:Trump rally shooting fuels social media conspiracies
Incidents like the 2022 assassination attempt against Brett Kavanaugh, the attack on Paul Pelosi, and the recent Trump rally shooting, are now sadly commonplace. This should not be the norm in a civilized nation.
Both Democrats and Republicans have escalated tensions with their rhetoric, contributing to a toxic political environment. It’s time that both parties take steps to cool the tensions.
Rising political violence: Gen Z needs to be part of the solution
Despite lacking lived experience, my generation is especially susceptible to the escalating polarized political climate.
Estimates predict that by 2028, Gen Z and millennials would form the majority of the voting population. The current political climate will bear heavily on our future voting patterns.
A time for unity:Post Trump rally shooting, Americans need to come together
Young voters have a crucial role in resolving this crisis. We are inheriting a polarized political climate and we must strive to de-escalate it. For the sake of our nation’s future, it’s important to understand that every political event need not be cataclysmic.
Dace Potas is a US opinion columnist and a political science graduate from DePaul University.
—
Read More US Political News