Charlie Kirk’s death is a tragedy and the latest example of violence creeping into our politics. What we’re seeing has been a long time coming, driven by decades of careless chatter and selfish rhetoric. Americans have made a habit of demonizing their political opponents. Many MAGA supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, believed they were saving the nation because leaders had dishonestly told them that an election had been stolen by the Democrats. At least one of the men who planned to assassinate President Donald Trump during last year’s campaign believed he was saving America from a despot in waiting. That belief didn’t come from nowhere, and the political left habitually accuses Trump of orchestrating an authoritarian takeover.

It shouldn’t be surpri

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