On September 10th, 2025, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. This assassination is only the most recent example of a string of politically motivated acts of violence in the United States.
Another instance of recent political violence was the murder of Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home on June 14th, 2025. Hortman, in contrast to Kirk, was a member of the Democratic Party and a strong defender of women’s reproductive rights. Anti-abortion sentiments allegedly played a role in the shooter’s motive.
Prior to that, on December 4th, 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated. His alleged killer, Luigi Mangione believed Thompson was the heart of UnitedHealthcare’s “corporate greed.” Over the summer of 2024, there was also an attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, who was shot in the ear at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
These attacks happen as America continues to become more divided than it has been in years. With the ideologies of both the left and right becoming even more polarized, political discourse has shifted to that of partisan warfare. A recent Gallup poll reported that 77% of Republicans identify as very conservative and that 55% of Democrats identify as very liberal. Over the 32 years Gallup has tracked this data; these are both record highs.
There is a growing group of people who now believe that America has become a place where civil debate is something of the past, and freedom of speech is a right that people should hesitate to use. However, there are also many who oppose this mindset and believe that people must use their freedom of speech in order to work towards a better country. A 2025 NPR poll found that 3 in 10 American citizens believe that Americans will have to result to political violence in order to get the country back on track.
Incidents like these, while as deeply troubling as some may find them, represent a harsh reality in America. PBS writes in their article, Analysis: What data shows about political extremist violence that, “In the first half of 2025, 35% of violent events tracked by University of Maryland researchers targeted U.S. government personnel or facilities.”
A solution to this issue will not be instantaneous and will take much more than a simple policy change. Lincoln AP Government teacher Ms. O’Hearn was asked to share her insights on the future of civil bipartisanship in America.
When asked whether it is still possible to believe in the power of peaceful protest and civil debate in today’s society, Ms. O’Hearn emphasized its importance, saying, “Yes… it is an idea that is so central to our democracy that if we lost it, I am not sure how our republic could continue to function.” Later, she also remarked that, “It becomes difficult to have civil debate when either side degrades the humanity of the other.”
During a time like this, many people reflect on the past and look to similar moments in history to try to make sense of current events. Ms. O’Hearn explained that while political violence isn’t something new to our country, the current disorder in America is compounded by very widespread mistrust in the government as well as a heavy influence from modern technology. She states that “The last time we saw assassinations and protests like the ones we have today was the Vietnam era [1955-75].”
To many, this is a time of uncertainty and is the cause of high anxiety. Ms. O’Hearn shared some of her ideas on how to combat this and create resilience in communities like Lincoln.
“People, no matter who they are, or what ideology they espouse, seek belonging and purpose. At our core, we truly are the same… What I’d say to students is, go watch the videos and reels from the ‘other side.’ You don’t have to agree with them, and they may be saying things that are genuinely hurtful. If they are, ask yourself the question, why?”
Ms. O’Hearn would continue this sentiment saying that “If you begin conversations from a desire to understand, rather than a desire to prove someone else wrong, that can go a long way towards opening up further discussion and debate. Let’s start with empathy. Start with shared humanity before trying to prove someone wrong.”
The recent wave of politically fueled violence in this country draws attention to a shift in American politics. The nation is left grappling with this change while it becomes apparent to many that restoring trust and civility in America will take more than policy change, it will take another, equally consequential shift in American culture.