1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I am writing to demand decisive action against the normalization of political violence in our country. On September 10, 2026, during Senator Ted Cruz's speech at the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, an audience member repeatedly shouted that opposing Democratic candidates "should be shot". This dangerous rhetoric was broadcast live and targeted specific public servants. The fact that these comments can be yelled in a crowded stadium without immediate, universal condemnation highlights a massive double standard. If a civilian made these statements against a conservative figure at a Democratic event, it would trigger an immediate national uproar and a federal investigation. This double standard must end. I urge you to support a new accountability framework for all elected officials: 1 Mandatory Immediate Condemnation: Any politician, regardless of party affiliation, must immediately and publicly condemn calls for physical violence made by their supporters or colleagues. 2 A Political Merit and Demerit System: We must establish an official merit and demerit system for sitting politicians. Failing to explicitly denounce calls for the assassination or shooting of political opponents must result in an immediate strike/demerit against that official's formal standing, impacting their committee assignments, leadership eligibility, and institutional merit. 3 Automatic FBI Referrals: Any public call to shoot or harm an official must be treated as criminal incitement and automatically reported to federal law enforcement for investigation.
 We need a cleaner, safer political landscape. I expect you to hold your peers to this standard and implement these demerit strikes immediately.