A lesson written in blood
Politics used to be an arena of ideas. Lately it has become something darker — a set of rehearsed performances that ratchet up fear in order to harvest attention, power, and money. Simon Says: stir the crowd, point at enemies, name scapegoats. Repeat until the people believe they must act.
Words have consequences. Rhetoric that paints whole groups as monsters makes it easy for someone, somewhere, to pick up a gun and decide violence is justified. That doesn’t excuse the shooter — responsibility sits squarely with the person who pulled the trigger — but it also means the climate that welcomes such acts must be held to account.
From grief to action
If anything useful can come from this tragedy, let it be a national reckoning. Demand clearer responsibility from those who lead. Hold platforms accountable for amplification. Require tempering and context, not applause lines that cheapen people’s lives. And above all: refuse the carnival of outrage that turns real human beings into props.
How we remember — and resist
- Speak with conscience. Choose words that de-escalate rather than inflame.
- Teach media literacy — the louder the message, the more we must interrogate intent.
- Protect public spaces: rhetoric that incites must be challenged, not normalized.
This page is a mourning and a warning. We are all responsible for the climate of speech we tolerate.