Exporting a culture of political violence

Smoke rises from a explosion in Iran

Source: Cyprus Mail

The United States often speaks of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Yet its own history reveals a troubling pattern of political violence. Four American Presidents — Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy — were assassinated by their own citizens. These tragedies underline the darker side of America’s long-debated gun culture.

What is even more worrying today is the perception that this readiness to eliminate opponents by force is being projected beyond its borders. The targeted killing of foreign leaders and officials — such as Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and recent killing of the top politicians of Iran which had US blessings has raised serious questions about whether political violence is being normalised as a tool of international policy.

If the world’s most powerful democracy wishes to lead by example, it must demonstrate that disagreements — whether at home or abroad — are resolved through dialogue and law, not the gun. Otherwise, the very values it claims to defend risk being undermined by its own actions.

Upali Weerasinghe