America Must Choose: Guns or Democracy

There comes a time in the life of a nation when silence is complicity. That time is now.

Gun violence has scarred our country for decades, but today we face a new and terrifying reality: political gun violence. The bullet is no longer just aimed at a school, a church, or a movie theater — it is now aimed directly at the heart of democracy itself.

From assassination attempts on public officials to armed intimidation at polling places, we are watching the foundation of our Republic crack under the weight of violence. This is not just about partisan politics. This is about whether America remains a free nation — or whether fear, fueled by the barrel of a gun, dictates who speaks, who serves, and who dares to stand up for what’s right.

A Rising Threat to Our Republic

Let’s be honest: threats against elected officials, community leaders, and even everyday citizens are skyrocketing. Public service has always carried risk, but never like this. Today, Americans are being forced to ask: If I run for office, will I be in the crosshairs? If I volunteer at a polling place, will I be safe?

I know this worry personally. Having run for office, I’ve experienced the threats that come simply for daring to step into the arena. The fear is real. It’s the same fear that now hangs over volunteers, local officials, and ordinary citizens who just want to participate in democracy. That climate of intimidation is unacceptable in a free country.

This culture of fear is poison. It silences debate. It shrinks civic life. And it hands victory to extremists without a single vote being cast. That is not freedom. That is tyranny by gunfire.

Patriotism Demands Action

We cannot accept this as “the new normal.” The America I know — the America we inherited from generations who bled at Lexington, Gettysburg, Normandy, and Selma — is better than this. They fought tyranny abroad and injustice at home so that we could live under liberty and law. Are we really willing to hand it all away because we lack the courage to stand together against violence?

True patriotism is not waving a flag while threatening your neighbor. True patriotism is ensuring that flag still stands for freedom, safety, and democracy.

What Must Be Done

1. Pass Common-Sense Gun Reforms
   Universal background checks, red flag laws, and bans on high-capacity magazines are not “radical.” They are the bare minimum to protect Americans from those who would use weapons of war against their fellow citizens.

2. Protect Public Servants and Poll Workers
   Democracy cannot function if citizens are too afraid to serve. Federal and state governments must strengthen protections, prosecute intimidation, and send a clear message: threaten democracy, and you will be held accountable.

3. Reject Political Rhetoric That Fans Flames
   Leaders of every party must denounce violent language. Words matter. When leaders flirt with the language of war, some will act on it. Responsible leadership means rejecting hate — not feeding it.

4. Unite as Americans, Not Enemies
   At the end of the day, we are not Republicans or Democrats first. We are Americans. If we cannot come together now — to say “enough” to violence, “enough” to intimidation, “enough” to fear — then our children may inherit a country they do not recognize.

America at a Crossroads

The world is watching us. History is watching us. Will we choose to be the America of courage, compassion, and unity — or the America of fear, violence, and division?

I believe we can choose the higher path. I believe we can honor those who came before us by securing a future free from the terror of political gunfire.

This is not a battle of left versus right. This is a battle of right versus wrong.

And together — as one people, indivisible — we must win it.