Introduction
There is chaos afoot. And when there’s chaos, it often feels difficult to quiet one’s mind.
Incident Description
On Saturday, July 13th, Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate Donald Trump, shooting him in the ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attacker also killed a rally attendee, injured several others, and was ultimately killed by law enforcement. Regardless of how you feel about Trump—and I know everyone has an opinion ranging from extreme passion to tremendous disdain—this is a bad look for the USA.
Crooks was inches away from breaking us into catastrophe.
Analysis of Political Climate
This assassination attempt can be a catalyst for more discussion around topics that are dividing Americans. While we don’t need to agree on everything, we shouldn’t have to; we should be able to have civil discourse around these topics without anger or violence involved. The current political climate is drowning in violence—both physical and verbal. Passion doesn’t equal anger, but anger can drive it.
Why do we have to approach issues from a place of anger? When you come at someone yelling, can they hear you better than if you were speaking at a normal volume? Just because you’re making noise doesn’t mean people can hear you. Or maybe they hear you, but you can be ignored when you’re too loud. It’s about finding the right balance to deliver your message.
Importance of Civil Discourse
Think of discourse as a piece of music. If the instruments are too loud and you can’t hear the singer, that’s a problem. Similarly, if the singer is too loud and you can’t hear the instruments, that’s also a problem. Know when to amplify the voices that support your message and turn down the ones that hinder your ability to reflect and be rational.
Reflection on Personal Experience
There is a lot to improve about the current state of the USA and the world. It may have always been this crazy, but information travels faster than ever and will only continue to get faster. I wonder if we can adapt evolutionarily to the advancements presented in front of us. The reality is that our lives are completely different from our ancestors’, and they will continue to look different from the way we grew up.
We have technology and advancements that they could have never dreamed of, and with AI, we are only getting faster at advancement. I didn’t have a cell phone as a child; when I got my first one, it didn’t have internet access. Now, I can’t even imagine a world where I don’t have a cellphone nearby with internet and access to ChatGPT and Google Maps at my fingertips.
While these tools can help advance our productivity, they can also curb our ability to slow down and think critically. For example, if you hate a particular person, such as Trump, ask yourself why. Is it because you don’t like how he presents himself? Do you disagree with his policies? Do you feel that he is a liar? Is it because he’s a convicted felon? The list can go on, but when you look back, have you ever met him? Have the people around you (your network and social feed) influenced your thought process? Have your opinions changed?
This doesn’t just apply to Trump; it could be any person or representation of an idea. Of course, there are bad movements and bad ideas. Undoubtedly so. It is certainly difficult to agree with someone on everything, and there are many things that one could disagree with for Trump. However, attempting to kill him, hurting others, and endangering our ability to behave in a democratic republic is a step way too far.
Broader Perspective
This attempt may have even amplified him based on his show of strength in response to the political violence. The train of our current life cycle moves so fast that sometimes it’s hard to think deeply and critically about situations. If you’re like me, you like to listen to all the pundits and thought leaders to make a balanced, informed opinion. Sometimes, that’s great, but you must step back and be a leader in your own life and mind to understand that everyone is influenced by different things. Therefore, it is important to understand the grey areas of each movement and argument, even if you despise them or don’t agree.
Understanding and recognizing the current reality is a path to change. This attempted assassination is a tragedy, but I hope it can be a turning point to adhere to more civil discourse in the USA and abroad. I want us to move forward and look towards a better tomorrow where we have more understanding and appreciation for our fellow Americans, whether we agree with them or not.
Conclusion
While this article may differ from what I generally write, I’ve realized how much current politics have driven the culture, for better or worse. Obviously, there are plenty of outliers—people who are incredibly hateful in nature, such as KKK members, and it is impossible to have a real conversation with them. In some cases, it can be dangerous. However, there are also cases where KKK members have denounced their hateful rhetoric and become upstanding, loving people.
People have the tremendous ability to adapt and change. We should encourage this, especially for those who want to make a positive impact and difference. It is important to understand that we will have different impacts and visions for what that means due to our differences. But if we discuss and work together, we can create a better today and tomorrow for all.
All the best,
Ariel
Check my review of Alex Garland’s Civil War for more political and cultural content.
