The assassination of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk marks a significant moment in the surge of political violence in the U.S. Experts fear this event could further inflame an already fractured country and inspire more unrest. According to Mike Jensen, a researcher at the University of Maryland, the U.S. has experienced about 150 politically motivated attacks in the first six months of the year, nearly double the number from the same period last year.
Experts on domestic terrorism point to a combination of factors for this increase in violence, including economic insecurity, anxiety over shifting racial and ethnic demographics, and the increasingly inflammatory tone of political discourse. Traditional ideological divides have morphed into a deeper, more personal animosity. Jon Lewis, a research fellow at George Washington University, states that “extreme political violence is increasingly becoming the norm in our country,” and that this indicates a much larger and more pervasive issue.
