Folks on the hard left have always been willing to use violence to achieve their political ends. But ever since President Donald Trump first took office, they have been turning up the temperature on the use of physical force.
Over the past few months, there has been a rash of violent incidents and threats. The most recent was the torching of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home. The authorities charged Cody Allen Balmer for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails on the property with Shapiro and his family sleeping inside.
Fortunately, the family managed to escape unscathed. Balmer was furious over Shapiro’s support for Israel amid the war in Gaza. His social media revealed that he despised politicians in both parties.
Earlier this week, federal law enforcement arrested and charged a Pennsylvania man for making death threats against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The FBI apprehended the individual after receiving a tip about his threats, which he made on social media. “Prepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear,” he wrote in one of the posts.
There has also been a spate of vandalism attacks on Tesla vehicles and facilities. These acts are aimed at punishing Tesla owner Elon Musk for his role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative. Musk’s team has garnered criticism over how it is working to slash government spending while eliminating waste.
Leftist thugs fueled by Musk Derangement Syndrome have even physically assaulted Tesla owners.
Musk has been a boogeyman for the left ever since he threw in with President Trump, with leftists pretending he’s a Nazi. Several people have been arrested in connection with these acts of vandalism.
There is also the series of swatting attacks made against folks on the right. Leftist agitators call local law enforcement and tell them an emergency situation like a domestic disturbance or gunfire is happening at the target’s home. SWAT teams arrive on scene fully armed, ready for violence, which, thankfully, has not happened yet. In essence, these people are trying to get law enforcement to murder or otherwise physically harm their political opposition.
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), subcommittee chairman of the U.S. House Oversight Committee's federal law enforcement panel, has announced an investigation into the increasing number of swatting incidents targeting conservatives.
As part of the congressional probe, his subcommittee is seeking information from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on what steps they're taking to thoroughly investigate these incidents of political violence and bring the culprits to justice, according to a press release.
Lastly, an arsonist set fire to the Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico, last month. The suspects caused significant damage to the building’s entryway using Molotov cocktails. They spray-painted messages on the walls. Fortunately, nobody was injured in this attack, but it was a clear threat against Republicans and conservatives.
This doesn’t even include the two assassination attempts on President Trump on the 2024 campaign trail.
So, what’s causing this uptick in political violence coming from the left?
Political polarization has always been a factor. Even when Trump was elected for his first term, leftist groups like Antifa used violence to oppose him and his supporters. They showed up at Trump rallies to assault participants under the guise of fighting fascism. The problem is they believe anyone who doesn’t agree with their ridiculous politics is a fascist.
Over the past decade, there has been a growing sense on the left that simply disagreeing with their opposition’s politics isn’t enough. Using persuasion to win people over to their side wasn’t working. So, they believe that employing violent tactics will somehow cow the public into accepting their ideology. They keep going with this strategy even though it has not worked.
Social media is also a factor. Violent extremists can use these platforms to incite and plot violent activities. Many on both sides have been radicalized on online platforms.
There is also the fact that Democrats currently have little power. Republicans control all three branches of government. The left has been forced to rely almost completely on the court system to stymie the president’s agenda. This is why they have filed a kazillion lawsuits against the administration since five seconds after Trump was sworn in.
But along with lawfare, leftists are employing violent measures as well. The truth is that these people can’t be stupid enough to believe that assaulting people and destroying property will change anyone’s mind.
So, it appears to me that these acts are more about revenge and making their feelings known than actually affecting change. They are large-scale temper tantrums on the part of crybullies who feel helpless. At this point, the only way to stop these people is to make sure they face harsh consequences. Like all bullies, these people prefer easy targets with no accountability.