Political intimidation, violence unacceptable

The Nov. 3 General Election is taking place at a time of heightened political polarization and anxiety. Unfortunately, it is also taking place in an age of rising political violence and intimidation.

We have been witnessing this trend for years now, of weapons being used instead of words, of political frustrations mounting to boiling points that make civil discourse no longer so civil. Just recently, packages containing a suspicious, powdery substance were sent to election offices in numerous states, including the office of a local congressional representative, U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres.

While the recipients of those suspicious packages have been reported in normal health following the incidents, it is no less cause for alarm. Innocuous or not, the mailing of a powdery substance to the offices of political officials or candidates is an act of political intimidation that cannot be normalized. Regardless of what portion of the political spectrum, what groups or politicians one aligns themselves with, we must collectively stand against such acts of intimidation.

The social norms and guardrails that govern our lives in the realm of politics have certainly been put to the test in recent years. In a time when truth and humanity seem to be subjective, the lines between “right” and wrong” can become muddied, and meaningful discourse can become harder and harder to achieve. In this context, however, the importance of remaining civil, of making our voices heard through peaceful protest and ballot boxes, is only more important.

We live in a distinct historical moment, in which many Americans have become deeply entrenched in their beliefs, whatever they may be, and those beyond their particular ideological sphere become easily “othered.” The othering of outside groups is nothing new, and has been studied by political scientists for decades. This othering goes beyond finding safety in the numbers of like-minded individuals — it makes it easier for us to see those outside of one’s “in-group” as less than human, less deserving of understanding and respect. It happens on both ends of the political spectrum, and even the spaces in between. It is often what leads to acts of political violence and intimidation.

Our society must remember that politicians are human beings. Those we may view as our political adversaries are human beings. And while anger, uncertainty and frustration have come to define so much of modern politics, we must resist any urge to feed further into those feelings by failing to condemn acts of political violence and intimidation. No matter one’s beliefs, it is of the utmost importance to curb any instincts to harm or destroy in the name of neutralizing what one views as a threat. When our country reaches a point where its citizens readily accept acts intended to scare or incapacitate political leaders of any partisan background, the road back to any kind of common ground, of reciprocal civility, will be a difficult one.

But while this is certainly no time to sink to acts of political violence or intimidation, this is also no time for voter apathy. Voters in Riverdale and beyond still have access to an effective method of swaying political outcomes, and it takes the form of a simple slip of paper available at their local polling place. The act of voting may seem as small as a few minutes taken out of a Tuesday and a sticker pasted to one’s chest, but the reverberations of that action will have serious implications for our country’s future.