Political violence is growing. Violent rhetoric helps it grow.

We are living in a time of growing political violence in our country. In April, an arsonist set fire to Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's house while he and his family were sleeping. In July, a masked gunman shot two Minnesota Democratic state lawmakers, killing one. In August, a gunman obsessed with COVID-19 conspiracies sprayed gunfire at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, killing a police officer.

And yesterday, on September 10, right wing activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in Utah, before a crowd of 3,000 people.

Those are only some of the examples of the increasing danger public servants and political figures are facing in the current climate. It’s very much in the news, and it is telling that the spotlight is brightest now when it has happened mostly to straight white men. We must not forget that political violence has for decades disproportionately been enacted against women, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants and people of color, in attempts to intimidate them from running for or staying in office, and from speaking up. 

We thankfully have not had an incident of political violence in recent years in Maine that has resulted in actual injury or death. But the rhetoric that leads to those things happening has occurred with increasing frequency in recent months, including attacks this summer on Maine Rep. Deqa Dhalac based on her race and immigrant status, and on Cara Pelletier, an openly queer city councilor for Bangor who this week chose to resign rather than face continued threats and abuse. Before that, Maine’s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, had her personal information posted online and was “swatted,” and in 2023, then-Maine Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross was targeted by right wing activists who left fliers in her neighborhood. 

That all these public servants are women, two are people of color and one is queer is no coincidence: it is deliberate.  

It should go without saying, but it clearly needs repeating: Political violence is never acceptable. It is a threat to the fabric of civil society, and everyone - every person, full stop - deserves to live in a world where they do not fear bodily harm or death because of who they are or what they believe.  

Charlie Kirk very specifically and intentionally created an environment that encourages the sort of rhetoric that leads to these kinds of attacks. Violent language that demonizes people contributes to the culture that we are all now suffering under. Our current political climate is supercharged with hateful discourse that attempts to blame whole groups of people - immigrants, trans people, Democrats and on and on - for all the ills of society. It is literally killing people - including Charlie Kirk.

Political violence is unacceptable, and violent and divisive rhetoric leads to political violence. Both things are true, and they are fundamentally connected. 

We condemn them both – the violence, and the rhetoric that leads to it – in the strongest of terms.