I condemn in the strongest possible terms the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk, the tragic killing of Melissa and Mark Hortman, and the senseless shooting at Annunciation School and Church in Minneapolis. These acts of violence strike at the heart of our community and our democracy. There is no justification, no excuse, and no place for political violence in American politics.
America was built on the principle that we may disagree—sometimes passionately—but that our disagreements are resolved through speech, through debate, and through the ballot box. Violence is the language of fear and division. It silences rather than persuades, and it destroys the very freedom it pretends to defend.
If you disagree with someone, respect where they are coming from. Speak out, organize, persuade, and most importantly—vote. That is the real American way. That is how we honor the generations who fought to preserve this republic. Political violence, on the other hand, dishonors them and endangers us all.
At a time when we are being pulled apart, we must resist the temptation to dehumanize those who see the world differently than we do. Unity does not mean we will always agree. It means we agree to respect one another’s humanity even when we oppose one another’s ideas. It means standing shoulder to shoulder to say that violence, threats, and intimidation have no place here.
I call on every American—Democrat, Republican, Independent, conservative, progressive, and everyone in between—to recommit to this truth: the health of our democracy depends not on uniformity of thought, but on our shared commitment to resolving differences peacefully and with respect.
Let us be clear: political violence is not only un-American, it is anti-American. We must all say so, together, and work to heal the wounds these tragedies have inflicted.
As Robert F. Kennedy reminded us during another time of deep division: “What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred… but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another.”
May we honor the memory of those lost by rejecting the path of violence, recommitting ourselves to civility, and standing united in the belief that America is strongest when her people resolve their differences with ballots, not bullets. VOTE!
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