The Real Threat to the Midterms Is Regular Americans Thinking Violence Is the Answer
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Robert A. Pape, author of 'Our Own Worst Enemies', argues that the threat of political violence in the U.S. is increasingly coming from mainstream citizens rather than fringe militia groups. His research indicates that a significant portion of those involved in recent political unrest are professionals with stable backgrounds, signaling a dangerous shift in political norms.
Why it matters
It challenges conventional wisdom regarding the demographics of political extremism and warns of potential instability in upcoming elections.
That is the conclusion Robert A. Pape lays out in his new book, Our Own Worst Enemies: America in the Age of Violent Populism, citing data about those who were arrested and charged following the attack.
While Proud Boys and Oath Keepers gained most of the headlines, data collected by Pape as part of his work as founding director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats (CPOST) found that the vast majority (90 percent) of those charged with crimes arising from the attack held no affiliation with militias or militant organizations.
Pape’s analysis found that 22 percent were business owners, and almost 30 percent held a college degree. Among the defendants were doctors, engineers, CEOs, and government employees. Nearly 40 percent held white-collar jobs, while just 8 percent of participants were unemployed.
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