Political Violence Could Be Our Future
By Mark Harris
The power of the people can never be fully taken away. However, the power of the people can be subverted, and if that subversion is not resisted, then we may see the power of the people return to violent expressions of power. Political violence is already on the rise, most notably in recent events, witness the murder of Charlie Kirk, the killing of Melissa Hortman and her husband, as well as the two assassination attempts on President Trump while campaigning last year. This is not to say that these are legitimate acts that directly align with popular public support. However, they show a normalization of political violence in a system that has isolated members of the public from the feeling of power over the State and culture.
The American federal government has seized more socio-cultural control in the last quarter-century than ever before. With the passage of the Patriot Act in the aftermath of 9/11, the expansion of telecommunication monitoring and manipulation has only grown more pervasive. When coupled with federal economic policy moving from industrial manufacturing towards “gig” work, which is often reliant on digital communication, labor is fading as a lever of public power. Moreover, the nonstop nature of the new economy has stifled non-work and non-governmental civil associations, subverting the public’s ability to express its will through non-violent channels.
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The Editors
Citizens Digest Staff
- Ruth McLatchie, Editor-in-Chief, Written Media
- Mike Gonzalez, Technical Editor, Writer
- Donald Wiggins, Chief Legal and Organizational Officer
- Daniel DeLuca, Chief Financial Officer
- Mark Harris, Operations Manager and Podcast Coordinator
- Elizabeth Frost, Circulation and Volunteer Manager
- Alicia Meckstroth, Contributor
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