No Violence. Period. Full Stop.

The assassination attempt on Trump changes everything.

0:00

It really has come to this. Although the US is no stranger to political violence over its 248-year history, the assassination attempt on former President Trump is an unfortunate and dramatic sign of the times, where divisive rhetoric and hatred fuelled by racism and extremism rule the day.

First and foremost, all responsible participants in the US political debate, all without exception, have to clearly, forcibly and unequivocally condemn with the utmost energy this heinous act. There is no place for violence, none whatsoever.

Today, we must have the courage to say, as the doctors who operated on President Reagan in 1981 after the attempt on his life, "We are all Republicans".

As Charles Dickens so eloquently wrote in his 1856 novel, "A Tale of Two Cities" :

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

We are in the winter of despair, as the world seems inevitably to be sleepwalking into a new era of darkness. An age for which we are all responsible. As free world citizens, we all have a choice—and we can make our opinions heard, not through political violence but through political discourse. The end of the world as we know it is not inevitable; on the contrary.

It's easier said than done. In today’s world, division, hatred, and anger fuel political debate and encourage extremism disguised as simple “common-sense solutions.” This results only in more fear and undermines the fundamental foundations of our democratic societies.

Rather than wringing our hands in despair, we must recognise that the path towards a spring of hope depends on us recognising the dangers ahead and answering the call to arms to win the war of ideas of darkness over light, hope over fear, freedom over subjugation.

Lest there be any misunderstanding in my wording, the afore-mentioned "call to arms," be it in this article or on the cover of my recent book, is symbolic. As per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is "a summons, invitation, or appeal to undertake a particular course of action, as in a political call to arms."

In today's climate, it is crucial to do everything possible to promote unity, avoid division, and not fall into the easy trap of blaming our adversaries for the unforgivable actions of one isolated individual.

It is only just and fair that we mark the gravity of the moment with a truce, even if it is only for one day, to halt the political campaign and reach out to our opponents and to former President Trump to signal our heartfelt support, compassion and respect. President Biden was right to do just that, speaking directly to "Donald" for the first time in years. We must never forget that innocent bystanders died in yesterday's horrific act, and nothing, I mean nothing, can justify their deaths.

Tomorrow is another day, and the campaign will regain its rightful position as in any democracy, where people can express different opinions within the limits of the law and the expression of free speech.

But mark my words. The assassination attempt on former President Trump changes everything. We all have the responsibility to choose our words carefully and ensure that our rhetoric and actions do not foment and stoke political violence, as it has in the past, notably on January 6, 2021.