1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I need you to publicly condemn Republican officials and media figures who are normalizing and advocating political violence. The attempted assassination at the White House Correspondent's Dinner by Cole Allen represents a dangerous escalation, and your silence on the rhetoric that fuels this climate is unacceptable. For years, Republican leaders have used increasingly violent language, threatened political opponents, and refused to hold accountable those who incite attacks. This creates an environment where individuals like Allen, a 31-year-old NASA intern and teacher with no extremist background, conclude that violence is the only remaining option. His manifesto cited the Trump administration's role in an estimated 750,000 deaths from USAID cuts, illegal deportations to what he called "death prisons," and citizens beaten and kidnapped off streets. Whether or not you agree with Allen's characterization of these policies, the fact that an ordinary centrist liberal felt compelled to act violently should alarm you. This is what happens when one party abandons democratic norms and the other party stays silent. Use your platform to call out specific Republicans who engage in violent rhetoric. Demand accountability. The social contract that prevents political violence is collapsing, and your constituents need to see you defending it before more blood is shed.