Washington, Jan 7 (IANS) – The storming of the Capitol by Donald Trump’s supporters, in a failed attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power to Joe Biden, remains a historic moment in US politics.
Since the riot, over 1,500 individuals have faced federal criminal charges. Trump, who had previously called the rioters “great patriots,” vowed to pardon them if re-elected, according to a report by Xinhua news agency quoting Time magazine.
Four years on, political polarization and violence continue to plague the nation.
A 2024 Gallup report shows that 80% of Americans believe the country is deeply divided on core values, marking a significant increase from 77% in 2016 and more than 10 percentage points higher than figures from 2004 and 2012.
The US dictionary Merriam-Webster named “polarization” the word of the year for 2024, while a 2023 Pew Research Center poll found that the word “divisive” is now most commonly associated with US politics.
Further data from Pew highlights that 64% of Americans see the rift between Republicans and Democrats as a “major problem,” with both sides viewing each other as a significant threat to the nation’s future.
In recent years, political violence has surged in the US, fueled by increasing societal divides.
Notable incidents include a hammer attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband in San Francisco in October 2022, the attempted breach of former President Barack Obama’s home by a January 6th defendant in June 2023, and a deadly FBI raid in Utah on an armed man who had threatened President Biden in August 2023.
Additionally, a 2024 rally for Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, was disrupted by an attempted assassination, further intensifying national concerns. From 2022 to 2023, the Department of Justice prosecuted 27 threats against members of Congress, as reported by Foreign Policy.
Political violence has not only targeted leaders but also ethnic minorities. In 2022, a racially-motivated attack in New York resulted in the deaths of 10 African Americans, and mass shootings have continued to traumatize communities. Following the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 2023, incidents of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim violence rose sharply.
The 2024 American Values Survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 18% of Americans believe political violence may be justified to “save” the country, up from 15% in 2021.
Looking ahead, a third of US adults have expressed little confidence in the nation’s future, according to a Pew Research Center report in 2023.
Alieen Breadley, a designer from New York City, commented, “Imagine how much more polarized the country will become when our president stokes extremes. This affects all of us, and our democracy is suffering. I fear the next four years will be worse.
Recent Random Post:
