Violent political rhetoric has become increasingly common in our polarized society, and all too frequently it's spilling over into actual physical violence. Both pose serious threats to our democracy and civilized society.
Last week's outrageous attack on Paul Pelosi, the 82-year-old husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, appears to be another of those manifestations. The alleged attacker, David DePape, 42, entered the Pelosi home carrying zip ties and duct tape and demanded to know where Nancy Pelosi was before attacking her husband with a hammer.
DePape had posted memes and conspiracy theories on social media about the 2020 election, the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and COVID-19 vaccines, according to authorities. After entering the home, San Francisco police say they saw DePape "violently assault" Paul Pelosi with a hammer before they were able to tackle him.
