Democrats and Republicans must tone down the rhetoric

OPINION:

“We are not enemies but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.” — Abraham Lincoln.

In the aftermath of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Lincoln’s words, uttered during the horrific Civil War, can be a healing balm if only politicians, the media and activists who have promoted heated rhetoric and division would embrace them. It’s going to take leadership from both parties for it to happen.

Leftist social media bemoaned that the shooter’s aim was not more accurate, suggesting a wish that Mr. Trump had been killed. Right-wing websites blamed Democrats, including President Biden, who recently said, “We’re done talking about the debate. It’s time to put Trump in the bull’s-eye.” Will this remark be denounced across the political spectrum? Probably not.

The Atlantic recalls another incident when denunciations of former vice presidential candidate  and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin followed her “targeting” congressional districts: “In March of 2010, Sarah Palin released a map of 20 congressional districts she and John McCain had won in 2008 but whose congressmen had voted in favor of the recently passed health care reform bill. The map, released amid a wave of small-scale violence against Democratic lawmakers, marked each targeted district with a set of crosshairs. Ms. Palin had promoted the map by tweeting ’Don’t Retreat, Instead — RELOAD.’”

Democratic Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, one of the 20 targeted members of Congress, was shot in the head by 22-year-old Jared Loughner, whose attack killed six people and wounded 13 others. She was among the first, along with her husband, Sen. Mark Kelly, Arizona Democrat, to condemn the assassination attempt.

After the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. was united across party lines, and much of the world came to support us. People who rarely attended church-filled houses of worship in the United States and Europe to pray for us. The unity lasted for a while, but inevitably, memories and feelings faded, and the temptation to get back to politics as usual overcame the better angels of our nature.

Investigations will and should be conducted, but here’s a suggestion for using this incident to unite us, at least as Americans, if not the policies that divide us. After 9/11, Republicans and Democrats gathered on the Capitol steps in a show of unity. It was a thrilling moment.

Why can’t the current congressional leadership call for a meeting and promise each other they will tone down the rhetoric? Sign a pledge. Embrace each other. Show the country they don’t think of the other party as enemies. Invite President Biden and Mr. Trump to sign the pledge and honor it (if they will).

The cynic in me believes it won’t happen because division helps fundraising, and while people claim they hate the divisive language, it has a track record of turning out voters.

And yet kindness has a power of its own that can overcome hate. Recall Glen Campbell’s song:

You’ve got to try a little kindness

Yes, show a little kindness

Just shine your light for everyone to see

And if you try a little kindness

Then you’ll overlook the blindness

Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets

Unity will require more than statements and “thoughts and prayers” to bring us together. It requires action by all of us.

• Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book, “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (HumanixBooks).