Editorial of April 17, 2025

There's No Excuse for Violence

According to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment “guarantees freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition. It forbids Congress from both promoting one religion over others and also restricting an individual’s religious practices. It guarantees freedom of expression by prohibiting Congress from restricting the press or the rights of individuals to speak freely. It also guarantees the right of citizens to assemble peaceably and to petition their government.”

It should be noted though, as pointed out by the National Constitution Center, that the First Amendment restrains only the government. It does not protect speakers against private individuals or organizations.

This being said, there is no amendment to the Constitution which gives us the right to commit violence upon one another or to destroy property that does not belong to us. The Second Amendment does allow us to keep and bear arms, but we won’t tackle that subject here.

Political violence is growing in the U.S., a disturbing trend, to say the least. And whether you are left, right or center in your political leanings, please don’t assume it is “the other side” committing all the violence and destruction. Because it’s not.