It feels as though the current political climate in America has consistently redefined “rock bottom,” demonstrating a disturbing capacity for the nation’s political sphere to sink ever lower. Every day seems to bring a fresh wave of shocking actions, moving the conversation away from reasoned policy debate and toward something far darker and more dangerous. The government, currently influenced by elements described as white supremacist and white nationalist, appears intent on normalizing behavior and rhetoric that was once unthinkable in mainstream American politics.
The Audacity of Normalizing Hate
A recent, deeply troubling development is the reported decision to remove the designation of the swastika and the noose as hate symbols. This act is met with disbelief and outrage, as these symbols are universally recognized emblems of horrific oppression, racism, and violence. The idea that these could be seen as anything other than symbols of hate—or, as the extreme view suggests, perhaps even a “greeting card”—shows an extreme disconnect from reality and a disturbing catering to an unhinged political base.
The attempt to diminish the gravity of such symbols is a clear indicator of the political alignment’s true nature. When the foundational elements of modern hate—the swastika representing Nazism and genocide, the noose representing the systemic terror of lynching—are downplayed, it reveals an indifference, if not a tacit endorsement, of the ideologies they represent. This is not a return to policy discussion but a radical departure from political decency.
Death Threats as Political Discourse
Compounding this descent into normalized hate is the issue of political violence and the incendiary rhetoric that fuels it. Trump’s actions on his social media platform, Truth Social, are particularly alarming. In response to a video from Democratic lawmakers—all of whom are veterans—reminding military and intelligence personnel of their constitutional oath to refuse illegal orders, the former President called their actions “seditious behavior” and suggested they should be “punishable by death.”
The clip in question merely stressed the constitutional obligation to uphold the rule of law and the oath to the Constitution, emphasizing that illegal orders must be refused. The response from Trump, threatening the execution and imprisonment of duly elected political opponents, transforms a commitment to the Constitution into a crime punishable by death.
This rhetoric is not isolated; it occurs within a heightened climate of political violence:
Democratic leaders have been targeted, including incidents of a Democratic leader and their spouse being shot, a governor’s house firebombed, and a former Speaker’s husband being brutally attacked.
Kidnapping plots against officials have been thwarted.
In this volatile context, Trump’s statements—suggesting his opponents deserve to die—serve as a direct encouragement of political violence to his most fervent and often “unhinged” base.
The Spin and the Silence
The response from Trump’s allies further highlights the breakdown of political integrity:
The Speaker of the House, when asked about the threats of execution, dismissed the Democrats’ video as “wildly inappropriate” and “very dangerous,” claiming they were telling troops to “disobey orders.” He entirely ignored the crucial qualifier: illegal orders. This deliberate misrepresentation suggests an expectation that any order given by the President, regardless of its legality, must be followed.
The Press Secretary mirrored this deflection, mischaracterizing the video as encouraging the military to “defy orders” without mentioning the “illegal” caveat. When pressed on the President’s vulgar personal attack on a female reporter—calling her “piggy”—the Press Secretary simply asserted Trump’s “frankness” and “honesty” as reasons for his popularity, dismissing the abusive language.
This concerted effort to distort the facts and ignore explicit calls for violence indicates a normalization of authoritarian behavior. When the military is reminded to follow the Constitution, and the response from the governing side is a threat of execution, it demonstrates a move toward a model of governance that prioritizes absolute obedience over the rule of law.
The mainstream media’s timid reaction is also complicit in this normalization. By failing to collectively stand up against such blatant disrespect and dangerous rhetoric—or by covering these events in a “silo” without connecting the dots to Trump’s history of inciting violence and sedition—journalists risk becoming unwitting participants in the erosion of democratic norms.
The core message remains unmistakable: Trump and his allies are actively encouraging a political environment where hate and violence are legitimized. The challenge for American democracy is whether good people will allow this descent into the unprecedented to continue unchallenged.
