by Barry A. Liebling
Politics and violence have been features of the human condition throughout history. There always was and always will be belligerent, destructive people. And harmful human behavior is frequently paired with various political causes. An interesting question is how do these two factors relate. Are extreme political zealots generally violent regardless of their underlying ideology? Alternatively, are some political movements catalysts for violence while others are not?
Recently investigators at the Network Contagion Research Institute (affiliated with Rutgers University) reported the results of a large scale survey where participants were asked to what degree it is acceptable to violently attack Elon Musk, Tesla owners, and Donald Trump. The researchers found that respondents who identified themselves as “left-leaning” were more likely to endorse violence than those who are not “left leaning.” More significant, the survey indicates that Democrats (41%) are more likely than Republicans (29%) to regard killing a political leader (of unspecified affiliation) as at least somewhat justified. https://www.city-journal.org/article/progressives-political-violence-donald-trump-assassination-attempt
and
https://networkcontagion.us/reports/4-7-25-ncri-assassination-culture-brief/
So are “left leaning” people more comfortable with violence and destruction than those who are not in the category? There are anecdotal indications that suggest this pattern.
Consider the recent outbreak of attacks against Tesla and Musk. It is obvious that Musk has come out as an ally of Trump and has turned his back on the progressive-left establishment. Consequently this makes a lot of woke enthusiasts angry, and they are motivated to strike back. An apologist for their deliberate vandalism might argue that their aggression is the result of blatant provocation. People who are enthusiastic supporters of any ideology would respond in the same way if they felt violated.
But pull back and look at a similar situation. Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company has for many years been a strong advocate for extreme leftist causes. Why are there no reports of Republicans trashing Ben & Jerry’s products in retail establishments? Why are Republicans not harassing people in public places who are consuming the company’s ice cream?
The North Face clothing company proudly proclaims that it strongly supports DEI and the woke agenda. How come there is no evidence that Republicans, conservatives, or libertarians are attempting to make life miserable for anyone who wears The North Face products?
From informal observations it appears that violence and aggression – which might originate from anywhere – is especially likely to emerge from the leftist world.
Go back to the 2020 presidential election. Earlier in that year there was nationwide rioting, vandalism, and violence. In New York City where I live many businesses installed wooden barriers in their store fronts early in November as protection against the possibility of looting and destruction. The owners were worried that the outcome of the election might stimulate disappointed angry voters to engage in mayhem. As soon as Biden was declared the winner the barriers were removed.
Why did the wooden shields come down so soon? Were the business proprietors not worried that a gaggle of angry Republicans would trash their properties? Certainly the Republicans were not happy with the outcome, but it was generally believed that they posed no physical danger to city establishments. The belief turned out to be true.
What is the causal relationship between leftist zealotry and aggressive destruction? The Neo-Marx narrative is explicit in its endorsement of vigorously attacking what they label as “oppressors.” Physical confrontations are not merely justified but are a sign that those who strike out are behaving in a moral way. They are on “the right side of history.”
There is no question that some destructive aggression that emanates from progressive leftists is inspired and energized by their political beliefs. But that is only part of what is occurring. Sometimes the causal chain works in the opposite direction. People who enjoy destructive behavior are likely to be attracted to Neo-Marxist causes. The leftist narrative gives them permission and justification for expressing their personal desires.
There are people who are habitually and permanently malicious. Go to any elementary school and observe that there are always some children who are recognized as mean – the bad kids. There are nasty students in high school and college, and it is not difficult to identify them. In the workplace there are countless examples of employees who seem to delight in other people’s suffering (and often their own). What causes their negative dispositions? That is a topic for a different investigation. The important point is that there is no shortage people who chronically have bad intentions.
And someone who deep-down enjoys violence and destruction is likely to regard leftist politics as attractive. If the woke agenda were not so prominent, scoundrels who relish bad behavior would search for another way to rationalize their mischief.
*** See other entries at AlertMindPublishing.com in “Monthly Columns.” ***