Age of Rage

Democrat Congressman Preston Brooks beats Republican Senator  Charles Sumner, 1856

Even in the best of times, there are always going to be a few nut cases. It does seem like the there have been more cases lately of people losing their cool / their minds / going berserk, or maybe I've just been hearing about it more. Whatever, this story is a little disturbing.

Age of Rage: 26 Million Americans Believe Political Violence is Justified by Jonathan Turley

A poll released by the University of Chicago via the Chicago Project on Security and Threats offers a chilling account of the growing radicalism in America, particularly after the second foiled assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump, the poll found that 26 million Americans believe “the use of force” is justified to keep Trump from regaining the presidency.

As discussed in my book, “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage,” we have seen an increasing level of rage rhetoric in our political system. For some, violent language can become violent action. There is a normalization that can occur as extreme actions become more acceptable to more and more citizens:

“We are living in an age of rage. It permeates every aspect of our society and politics. Rage is liberating, even addictive. It allows us to say and do things that we would ordinarily avoid, even denounce in others. Rage is often found at the farthest extreme of reason. For those who agree with the underlying message, it is righteous and passionate. For those who disagree, it is dangerous and destabilizing.”

With the unrelenting claims of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and others that democracy is about to die in America, some now feel a license to commit criminal acts in the name of “saving democracy.”

It is the ultimate form of self-delusion that one saves democracy by committing political violence against those with whom you disagree.

He goes on at length giving us numerous examples of supposedly intelligent, reasonable people, losing their minds and lashing out in an irresponsible if not down right criminal manner. Somebody needs to bring the smack down on these fools.