For Jon Meacham, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, and author of “The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels,” this past week has been disturbing – and all too familiar.
“Political violence erupts in America when there is an existential question – who is an American?
Costa asked Meacham, “Are we in a particular time in America when all of this seems to keep happening?”
“And the American covenant is that we live in contention with each other, but we’re not at each other’s throats.”
Asked what our political leaders can do to keep that covenant, Meacham said, “Make the case.
This past week has been unsettling and all too familiar for historian Jon Meacham, the Pulitzer Prize winner and author of “The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels.”. When asked how America’s soul is doing right now, he said, “I believe we are in a dangerous place.”. In American history, a once-upon-a-time has never occurred. A happy ending is not going to occur. However, there are times like this that both you and I might agree should be repeated, and this is not one of them.
“When there is an existential question about who is an American and who should be included in ‘We the people,’ or ‘All men being created equal,’ political violence breaks out in America,” he said. According to historical evidence, violence breaks out when there is tension and when there is a lack of consensus regarding that. “.”.
It did, too, on Wednesday.
America was shook once more by the crack of a gunshot at Utah Valley University. As he participated in a public debate, Charlie Kirk, a well-known conservative activist who was 31 years old, was assassinated.
Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah resident, was in custody by Thursday.
Kirk was a major organizer in the movement of President Donald Trump and had a passionate right-wing following. Kirk called Trump “the bodyguard of Western civilization” during the 2020 GOP Convention. Critics also referred to him as having an incendiary voice, as evidenced by his statement on his own show that “The entire Democrat Party project is how quickly we can turn America into a third-world hellhole.”.
In a divided nation, his death has become the most recent upheaval.
“We don’t want to be in a situation where you pick up a gun because you disagree with someone,” Meacham said to Robert Costa. The nation cannot be that. Additionally, it’s something else if it is. “.”.
He said, “It’s not America?” “It’s not the America we want,” he said.
Kirk’s murder is the most recent in a string of political violence incidents that began last summer with the first of two assassination attempts on candidate Trump, followed by (to mention a few) the firebombing of Democrat Josh Shapiro’s home, the murder of Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband in Minnesota, the murder of Israeli embassy officials in Washington, and the murder of police officer David Rose outside the CDC headquarters in Atlanta.
“Are we in a particular time in America when all of this seems to keep happening?” Meacham asked Costa.
With a “self-evidently,” Meacham answered. “And I believe it’s because we are living in a time when we are discussing not just the methods of politics but also its goals. “..”.
“When we lose the capacity to engage in argument and dissent and debate peacefully, we are breaking faith with the American covenant,” Meacham stated, stating that leaders and citizens alike must act quickly to fulfill America’s mission. And we live in conflict with one another, but we’re not at each other’s throats, according to the American covenant. “.
“Make the case,” Meacham responded when asked what our political leaders could do to uphold that covenant. Describe the tale. In your opinion, history is more important than ever because there aren’t many things happening right now that you would want to say, “Yeah, we want more of that.” What do you want the country to be?
“You want to share Omaha Beach’s story. The Pettus Bridge story is what you wish to share. You wish to narrate the Gettysburg tale. Because it was during those times that flawed individuals truly made a better union. They weren’t superhuman. The exact opposite,” he stated.
Meacham said, “They barely made it through it. “.”.
“If they could do it, then we can, too, if we decide that this country is about a more perfect union, it is about dissent, it is about respecting each other, and it is not about hunting each other down,” Meacham declares, despite the fact that Americans can hardly survive this weekend. “.”.
To learn more:.
Jonmeacham.com.
Sara Kugel produced the narrative. Editor: Chad Cardin.
See also:.
