Editorial of October 2, 2025

Is Nothing Sacred?

Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, murdered in their home by a gunman on June 14.

Clinton and Cristen Brink, fatally stabbed while hiking with their two young daughters on July 26 at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas.

Virginia City Councilman Lee Vogler, attacked at his workplace, doused in gasoline and set on fire on July 29, sustaining severe burns over much of his body.

Iryna Zarutska, stabbed to death from behind on a commuter train on August 22 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Two children killed and multiple people injured during a school mass at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis.

Political activist Charlie Kirk, assassinated in front of thousands of students while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10.

Whether for political, religious, personal or ideological reasons, acts of violence committed during the savage summer of 2025—only a handful of which are noted above—make us question whether we are safe anywhere any more.

And the violence shows no sign of stopping with the change of seasons, as four people were killed and eight others injured this past Saturday, September 27, when a gunman drove his vehicle into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Michigan, began shooting during a Sunday service and, before being neutralized by local law enforcement, set a fire that destroyed the building.

In our editorial of April 17, titled “There’s No Excuse for Violence,” we expressed concern about the growing trend of political violence and the emergence of an assassination culture here in the U.S., writing: “If you are following news reports from a variety of media sources—not just those which echo your own perspectives and beliefs—then you have been witness to violence and destruction of property not limited to any one side of the political aisle.”

We entreated readers to “ask yourself—do you really want violence and destruction to become accepted social norms? And do you really believe it’s just the ‘other’ side committing these heinous acts?”

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, millions of Americans are affected by mental illness each year, the most common of which are co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness, and depression, each at 8%, followed by post-traumatic stress disorder (4%), bipolar disorder (3%), and borderline personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and schizophrenia, each estimated at 1%.

NAMI reports that one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness, while one in 20 of all U.S. adults—or 23%—experience serious mental illness. Asian adults are at the lower end of the scale, with a 12-month prevalence of any mental illness at 16%, while the rate for lesbian, gay and bisexual adults is highest, with 50% experiencing mental illness. Falling in between are: native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander adults (18%); Black adults (21%); Hispanic or Latino adults (21%); white adults (24%); American Indian or Alaska Native adults (27%); and mixed/multiracial adults (35%).

Despite this, most of these folks—just like you—continue to work, create, laugh, love and inspire every day. In her op-ed on page 6, Christine Nealon points out that, “By definition, serious mental illness refers to any diagnosis that can disrupt daily life, such as major depression. With proper support, individuals with SMI live independently, work, and contribute fully to their communities.”

But given these statistics, and considering the daily reports of violence—at nightclubs, schools, and political events, at home and at work and at church, in public and in private—perhaps we should seriously consider what role each of us plays in either perpetuating or stopping this horrifying trend.

Isn’t it incumbent on us to tone down our rhetoric, cast aside the vitriol and stop dehumanizing those who do not share our beliefs? When almost a quarter of U.S. citizens are already struggling in these extremely difficult, polarizing times, is it not our responsibility to think long and hard before we hit “Send” or “Post”? To take a beat before publicly demonizing those with whom we disagree?

The savage summer of 2025 proves that no place is truly safe anymore. Not our homes, not our houses of worship, not our offices or our parks. Not our schools. Social media algorithms are feeding these flames, and the media is fanning them. We need to set our differences aside, come together as a nation and put these fires out.