evidence: The sentiment is undeniably admirable. But it is not factually correct. The thesis that political violence in America is "unheard of" runs up against a long history of American political violence. Indeed, a different post could focus on the systemic use of force in preventing Black voters from exercising their rights to suffrage after the Civil War. [...] Yes, America has a long history of political violence [...] All of which is to say that political violence has had a prominent place in the United States across its history. It would be nice to think things have changed and that such violence is indeed beyond the pale, literally unthinkable. But the July 13 attack on former president Trump shows that the past is very much with us.