Staff Reports
A casual jab at violence, especially coming from politicians, can easily be brushed off as just another day in showbiz. In 2018, during an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, Kamala Harris, who has swapped her senator credentials for vice-presidential duties, was cornered with a cheeky hypothetical. Asked which prominent Republican she would prefer to be trapped in an elevator with, her slick response was that one of them would need to emerge alive. The joke was in pretty poor taste, especially considering how openly divisive and exaggerated political discourse has become since Donald Trump took office.
In the political arena, the jokes aren’t landing as entertainingly as they did in the past. The assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, has sparked the New Tolerance Campaign, which highlights the abundance of violent rhetoric directed at the former president compared to Harris. It turns out that when it comes to threats against public figures, Trump wins—though not a prize anyone would want. A report compiled by Gregory T. Angelo indicates that a staggering 44 public figures have made threatening comments against Trump, while a mere 17 have spoken ominously about Harris. It’s almost as if the left has embraced crude humor as a weapon while the right is left wondering when the punchlines turned into punch threats.
Hate list: Trump faces nearly three times more threats than Harris
44 cases vs 17 found in @New_Tolerance study@gregorytangelo 'Quantifiably disproportionate amount of hate, rhetorical extremism directed at Trump vs. Biden and VP Harris combined'https://t.co/x4nF8kMB48 via… pic.twitter.com/ef7OAiAusa
— Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) October 22, 2024
While the report claims that both Trump and Harris have faced hostility, it doesn’t take a detective to see that the sheer volume of vitriol directed at Trump is fundamentally different. Case in point, media figures and public officials have helped cultivate a toxic atmosphere ripe for hate and violence, particularly aimed at the former president. The constant barrage of exaggerated and demeaning rhetoric from his adversaries has fueled this climate, marking the GOP as seasoned targets for everything from mocking memes to actual threats. It raises the question: has the left’s loose attitude towards violence become the norm?
As the report delves deeper, it reveals that the American right isn’t entirely innocent in this rancorous exchange. Sure, Harris and Biden have been on the receiving end of some nasty comments, yet nothing compares to the monumental wave of hostility directed at Trump. There’s clearly a disturbing imbalance at play; the same media figures that condemn hate often participate in fostering it. It would seem that some want to play both sides, comfortably critiquing the chaos while simultaneously contributing to it. The moral high ground might need a serious renovation.
Angelo’s report also nudges the need for decency in discussions revolving around political rivalry. There’s no denying that heated political debates belong to the democratic process. However, using threats as an acceptable form of dialogue eclipses any viable political discourse. A peaceful country where civility reigns is the goal, but the increased animosity, disproportional as it may be, needs to be actively challenged. Members of the media—those who set various societal standards—should recalibrate their approach. Maybe it’s time to turn down the volume on personal attacks and ramp up the discussions that actually matter. After all, if elevator jokes hint at casual violence, one can only wonder how long before things start to break down entirely.
