(The Center Square) – A nationwide increase in political violence almost certainly isn’t what Josh Shapiro hoped would set the tone during his first term in office as Pennsylvania’s governor.
Yet, as he’s navigated through an attempted presidential assassination, a manhunt for Luigi Mangione that gripped the country, and the firebombing of his own residence in Harrisburg, he’s become a national spokesperson for civility.
Invited to speak at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Shapiro called once more for leaders to act and speak with “moral clarity.”
Moral clarity is a difficult tightrope to walk in a country where political divisions have gotten so bad that in many cases, what is moral is not an agreed upon ground from which to build.
Shapiro insisted that Pennsylvania, a commonwealth founded on the principles of tolerance championed by Quaker William Penn, can demonstrate “a path forward.”
He called the U.S., “a nation where civil disagreement should be welcome, because that discourse can lead to progress,” saying, “We understand that when you hear speech you disagree with, the answer is more speech – not violence.”
Many, including Shapiro, say the toxic culture now devastating lives often comes out of valid frustrations that become radicalized and weaponized on the internet. He noted that young people are especially vulnerable, feeling left out of the national conversation.
“Frustrated by a lack of progress and consumed by a feeling of hopelessness, they find refuge, often in the dark corners of the internet where their righteous frustration is taken advantage of and used to foment hate,” said Shapiro. “It leads to a belief among some that the only way they can address those problems is through violence. They find online those who glorify violence and urge it on. What starts with cowardly keystrokes too often ends with a trigger being pulled.”
His sentiment echoed that of Utah’s Republican Gov. Spencer Cox who called out the role of social media in the shooting of Charlie Kirk and its aftermath, saying it was a “cancer.”
Not only does early evidence show that internet culture influenced Tyler Robinson, the alleged gunman, but the proliferation of graphic posts featuring recorded footage of Kirk’s death sent shockwaves through the country.
“Some of the most powerful companies in the history of the world have figured out how to hack our brains, get us addicted to outrage — which is the same type of dopamine, the same chemical you get from taking fentanyl — and get us to hate each other,” said Cox. “The conflict entrepreneurs are taking advantage of us, and we are losing our agency.”
The loss of control is most readily visible in social media posts about Kirk’s assassination. In response, groups have begun doxing individuals who expressed negative opinions of Kirk, including several in Pennsylvania, leading to a wave of firings.
The Trump administration has signlaed support for cracking down more broadly on left-wing groups.
Many of Kirk’s critics highlighted instances in which he appeared to celebrate violence or promote hate himself. As a result, the discussion around Kirk’s death has not only demonstrated the pervasive and bipartisan nature of the country’s deepest scars, but also the thorny issue of free speech – something Kirk, a Constitutionalist, was passionate about.
“Censorship – using the long arm of government to silence people, businesses, and nonprofits and restrict their right to free speech – will not solve this problem,” said Shapiro. “Prosecuting constitutionally protected speech will only erode our freedoms and deepen mistrust. That is un-American.”
In Shapiro’s vision, the “better way forward” could be found in the work of those people in attendance at the Eradicate Hate summit.
“My faith teaches me that no one is required to complete the task, but neither are we free to refrain from it,” said Shapiro. “To me, that means it’s on all of us to get off the sidelines, get in the game, and do our part.”
He called to mind a hero local to Pittsburgh, Fred Rogers. The pastor, educator, and beloved children’s television host famously encouraged people to “look for the helpers” in times of crisis.
“I look around this room and I see all of you, the ones who show up, who speak up, who stand up to hate,” said Shapiro. “You’re showing the rest of us the way. You are the helpers, and you’re going to help heal this nation and this world.”
