Quote Originally Posted by broncofan View Post
I like to put it this way. There are people who espouse views that are so disgusting and so evil that many people in their heads could at least justify violence against them. Not with moral certainty but as a possible justification. The reason people don't act is because there are thousands of people who have those characteristics (racism, sociopathy, etc). Someone will fill their place and nothing is accomplished. The other thing is that there is an element of subjectivity. Some people who are perfectly nice are held up as symbols of evil and are vulnerable to people using the same motivations to kill them. Nobody says that when people engage in political violence that only truly reprehensible people will be killed. Might not even be half the time.
Also, it is likely to lead to retaliation from the other side and provide an excuse for an authoritarian crackdown if they are in power. Plus it can turn the victim into a sanctified martyr, even when their actual record doesn't merit that.

It's particularly hard to see how violence could be rational approach for anyone left of centre when the right owns more guns and also controls the government. It's understandable that people are frustrated when the democratic process has become so distorted, but I can't see any alternative but to try and persuade a significant majority of the voters.