When Political Violence Has the Right Enemies w/ Noah Rothman (Members Only #326)

Political violence in America follows cyclical patterns, with contemporary manifestations echoing historical precedents from the 1910s and the 1960s. Noah Rothman, author of *Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence in America*, argues that these waves of violence are fueled by revolutionary rhetoric that is internalized and eventually acted upon. Political institutions frequently ignore or normalize this extremism, either to appease activist bases or under the misguided belief that such forces can be controlled. While current discourse often focuses on right-wing threats, both sides of the political spectrum increasingly utilize violence as a tool for vengeance against perceived adversaries. This dynamic is exacerbated by a lack of institutional memory and the strategic manipulation of data, which obscures the reality of political extremism and prevents a necessary reckoning with the erosion of the American social covenant.