A great shadow is hovering over American society these days. The country is in the midst of a bitter cultural war between its ideological, ethical and religious factions.
The vicious attack in Pittsburgh on Saturday by a sick individual with a pathological hatred toward Jews was a chilling example of the combustible situation and the potential social unraveling in the United States.
The massacre was reminiscent of the dark and murderous spirit of the Third Reich, and brought back memories of other hate crimes, such as the Baptist church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, by the Ku Klux Klan in 1963, which killed four young girls who had been preparing for the Sunday sermon.
In other words, political radicalization and the use of violence by fringe groups existed long before the Trump era. They have been an inseparable part of American life since the early days of the country.
It is true that over the past two years the political discourse has been much more polarized, in part because of President Donald Trump's fanning of tensions. But we must not forget that the fault lines that have shaped the current strife are deeper than they appear. They are the product of long-running divisions, from the civil rights movement during the Vietnam War to other episodes that have raised the level of hatred and animosity, years and decades before Trump entered politics. Moreover, in the current tit-for-tat between conservatives and liberals, the Left has its share of responsibility for fueling the fire.
It would be a stretch to say that the actions perpetrated by Pittsburgh killer Robert Bowers or by Cesar Sayoc, who is accused of sending pipe bombs to prominent left-wing figures last week, were a direct product of the charged atmosphere.
In fact, Bowers said he did not support Trump, and accused the president of being a globalist in nationalist's clothing who could not deliver on his promise to "Make America Great Again." Bowers cannot be described as a Manchurian candidate who was brainwashed with combative rhetoric and then put it into action. His anti-Trump attacks debunk the claims on the Left that the massacre happened because crazy Trump supporters had suddenly emerged from the fringes of American society. Bowers incited against Trump; he was not incited by Trump. He said he was controlled by evil Jews, using rhetoric taken right out of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion
The same can be said about Sayoc, who emerged from the darkest corners of American society. Just like Bowers, Sayoc has a pathological problem that has been long in the making. In 2002, he threatened to blow up a power plant in Florida. He has had run-ins with law enforcement due to his violent behavior, going back to his youth. His actions cannot be directly attributed to the current political climate. Such a baseless claim ignores his background.
One can only hope that U.S. society as a whole will come back to its senses and do some soul-searching, which will enable it to walk down a more sane and tolerant path.
