Why political violence must be avoided in America

By Jennifer Watson Roberts
Q City Metro

As the November elections draw closer, some people have been discussing the specter of political violence as a possible result of our nation’s deep divides.

I recently traveled to Northern Ireland with 25 faith and community leaders from several U.S. states, including four of us from Charlotte. We went to examine the aftermath of that country’s 30 years of political violence known locally as “The Troubles.” The trip was jointly sponsored by the Carter Center and Rethinking Conflict, a nonprofit working on conflict transformation, peacebuilding and reconciliation.

During our meetings with various leaders of Northern Ireland, which included victims of the political violence, terrorism and bombings, our group got a glimpse into the abyss – what a community looks like when it devolves into two armed camps, groups of people who have dehumanized each other, and then afterward tries to pick up the pieces. The vivid images of destruction, fear and trauma will long remain in my memory.

Rev. Dr. Gary Mason, who founded Rethinking Conflict in 2015 and who organized our meetings, gave us perspective on the extent of this violence: more than 3,500 deaths and over 47,000 injured in a country with a population of only 1.5 million people. In the United States, that would equate to more than 9 million people injured and 750,000 dead. 

The Good Friday Agreement, signed on April 10, 1998, brought peace and compromise to a divided Northern Ireland. Senator George Mitchell of Maine chaired the peace talks.

The peace agreement called for compromises in many areas. It also included the decommissioning of weapons, a commitment to “exclusively democratic and peaceful means of resolving differences on political issues,” the release of political prisoners, and many other remedies to bolster economic opportunity and inclusion for both sides – the Catholic Nationalists and Protestant Unionists.

What stuck with us most, however, was not the details of the peace.

We heard from people on both sides who lost family members and were still reduced to tears when they told of how their loved ones died – even 30 years later. We heard from Catholic cab drivers still afraid to drive through Protestant areas of Belfast, the nation’s capital. We saw a wall that still divides Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods there – a wall twice reinforced with additional height and gates that are locked at night. We stayed at the Europa Hotel, which has the dubious distinction of being the most bombed hotel in the world, having suffered more than 30 bombings through the years of The Troubles. 

Yes, new buildings are rising in Belfast, and the nightlife seems lively, but the pain and trauma are still palpable.

The Charlotte delegation returned with new energy to help our nation avoid sliding into a similar abyss of political violence. We were a diverse group by race, gender, ideology and faith, and we brought back a determination to help more people see that violence simply begets more violence, and that compromise and democratic institutions can provide a peaceful way forward. We began thinking of ways to share that message in Charlotte and statewide.

Political violence leaves scars that don’t easily heal – and some that never heal. Violence turns many against the original cause and leaves a path of destruction and pain in its wake that impacts future generations.

We in North Carolina can say no to extreme partisan and sectarian division, the type that all too often leads to violence. We need to get better at treating each other with respect, even when we inevitably disagree. We can support democratic solutions through engaging with our elected officials, being active and informed citizens, encouraging others to vote, and supporting political campaigns. Moreover, we should peacefully accept the results of elections once they are certified and any challenges resolved. If our candidate loses, we can look to the next election and still engage with those in office to share our concerns. If we are worried about election integrity, we can attend one of the 26 town halls across North Carolina where election directors and board members describe in detail the checks and balances in our state system. (We will host one in Charlotte on August 27; location TBA.)

We call on others to share in this vision and to support democracy, even with all its flaws. You can sign on to support the basic principles of democracy and honest political campaigns. If you are interested in joining our network or attending a town hall, you can learn more at NCTrustedElections.org.

In the end, democracy is a system that provides for the peaceful transfer of power. The future of our freedom and justice – and peace in our communities – depends on all of us supporting that.

Jennifer Watson Roberts is a former Charlotte mayor and former member of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners.