Opinion | Michigan Gov. Whitmer calls for unity after Trump assassination attempt

Editor's note: The following is a public statement issued Sunday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The shooting of former President Trump was a disgusting act of violence that caps off an alarming, years-long trend in our politics. There have been incidents we all know: a shooting at a practice for the Congressional baseball game, the plot to kidnap and kill me, the storming of the Capitol, and an in-home assault on the former Speaker of the House’s husband.

Behind all these incidents is rhetoric. We have seen calls to hate, harm, or jail political opponents. Violent conspiracies from the seediest corners of the internet have become incorporated into stump speeches. We have lost the plot when it comes to the way we talk to each other and about each other.

No matter your age, you have been impacted by this trend. This vitriol has infiltrated our lives. It’s broken relationships and marriages; friendships and families. Almost everyone can think of someone they don’t talk to anymore because of politics. I’ve met with Michiganders across the state who are living these consequences every day. There’s just a deep-rooted sense of anger and distrust.

I’m also thinking of our kids. First-time voters in this year’s election were born in 2006. Think of what they have seen. Imagine what they must think about our politics. Is it a hopeful, inspiring arena where you can argue passionately for what you believe in? No. For much of their lives, politics has been dark, defined by worsening rhetoric and violence. It is no surprise that they remain cynical or pessimistic about the future. We need their passion and energy to move us forward, but we risk extinguishing it with our words and actions.

We know that even at its best, American politics is contentious. We are a proud, opinionated people with strong feelings about our respective visions for the country. It is one of our greatest strengths. But we must remember that while we stand on different sides of the aisle, we all want the same things. Our kids go to the same schools. We shop at the same stores. We live in the same towns and cities. If you love your country, you love your countrymen and women. That’s the deal.

We should heed the words of President Lincoln who reminded us that, “We are not enemies, but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.” He was right. We can argue but we must center our common humanity. We must. We cannot forget the values that make us strong. We are a shining beacon of democracy and freedom in the world because we settle our stark differences at the ballot box. That’s what we do.

I am a fundamentally optimistic, hopeful person. I remain that way because I know, in my core, that we are a nation of good, kind people. We got ourselves here, and we can get ourselves out. It begins and ends with us. We all have a role to play. We all choose whether to jump into an argument and make it personal, bitter, or extreme. We choose how we treat those we disagree with whether it’s on Facebook or in-person. We choose the news we consume—content that riles us up, fed to us by an algorithm designed to keep us scrolling. We choose these things.

Instead, let’s choose to move forward, together. Let’s chart a better path for our politics. If you see unproductive words designed to tear us apart, call them out, no matter who they come from. Hold each other accountable, even in our own party. Let’s show our kids that the nation they will inherit is one worthy of their love. Call a relative you haven’t spoken to in a while and let them know you love them. Put the phone down and talk to your neighbors. Because this starts and ends with us—all of us.