JCPA Statement on Political Violence Targeting MN Elected Officials

“While we are still learning details, a gunman impersonating law enforcement appears to have assassinated Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and injured State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, in an act of political violence.

Political violence has become so normalized in recent years that it is almost hard to feel surprised by yet another targeted attack. But every single one of us should still be horrified.

As extremism and hate continue to be normalized in our politics and on social media — including the demonization and targeting of elected and other leaders — and polarization deepens, we must remember that we are not powerless in these moments. There are steps we can take to push back and build the democratic resilience we desperately need: from investing in proven programs to counter domestic extremism (rather than disinvesting, as the federal government has recently done); to advancing digital and media literacy and inoculating against susceptibility to hate and extremism; to building the broad, bipartisan and cross-community coalitions we need to reject hate and extremism in all their forms.

May Representative Hortman’s and her husband Mark’s memories be for a blessing. We are praying for Senator Hoffman and Yvette’s speedy recoveries — and for the day when this sort of violence no longer threatens our officials and our communities.”