Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman Assassinated: An Urgent Call to End Political Violence

As has been widely reported, some state legislators from Minnesota were shot over the weekend - and I feel compelled to say a few words about the concerning increase of political violence in the United States - whether it be targeted assassinations or the rioting of mobs.

To re-cap, Democratic State House Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were both shot and killed in a murder over the weekend.

Additionally, Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot, however have thus far survived the attack.

We have seen over the last probably 15 years an uptick in these kinds of incidents. It's not that they were never unheard of or never happened, but it just seems like there are more of them. And more violence in general.

Violence almost always begets more violence.

I'm reminded of the baseball park shooting in Washington, D.C. a few years ago in which a team of Republican congressmen was targeted and shot at. No one was killed but there were injuries.

I'm reminded of Democratic congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who was shot in the face, but fortunately survived.

I'm reminded of the two assassination attempts on then presidential candidate Donald Trump.

I'm reminded of the unfortunate violence that occurred when the January 6th protests of 2021 got out of hand.

I'm reminded of all of the Black Lives Matter and Antifa riots over the years that have resulted in people beaten and businesses burned to the ground.

And I could go on.

The rhetoric in our country is becoming too violent and the violence itself is becoming too normalized.

Just this last week I was in New York City and overheard passersby joking about killing President Trump.

And I know the same kind of talk goes on on the other side when talking about Democrats.

It's true that Thomas Jefferson said "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants."

He was right. His observation is on point. I stand by those words.

But within reason, damn it.

Those words are not a hall pass to go around and murder people because you disagree with them politically.

I, for one, would like to see President Trump visit Minnesota and give his condolences in a sincere fashion. Not for political points - but as a heartfelt gesture.

I know people probably don't want to see him. I know he is hated. I know, even if heartfelt, such a gesture would probably be spun by the media as purely politically motivated.

But we have to start somewhere.

We have to normalize love and kindness - especially to our enemies.

But right now, we are on the opposite trajectory.

Aren't you tired of it?

This is the kind of violence that will tear our nation apart.

It is soft civil war.

And to quote the Rolling Stones, "War, children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away."