Political Violence and Guns in America

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Credit…Doug Mills/The New York Times

To the Editor:

Re “The Attack on Donald Trump Is Antithetical to America” (editorial, July 15):

While condemning violence is crucial, we’re missing a vital point: The erosion of trust in our democratic institutions. This attack isn’t just about one incident or one politician. It’s a symptom of a deeper issue — the growing belief among Americans that the system is broken, that votes don’t count and that violence might be justified.

We need to address why so many feel disenfranchised and desperate. This means tackling issues like election integrity concerns, media polarization and the widening economic divide that fuels resentment.

Condemning violence is easy. The hard part is rebuilding faith in democracy. That’s the conversation we should be having.

Vishnu R. Nair
Kochi, India

To the Editor:

Out of 45 individuals who have served as president, 11 have been shot at (one twice, four fatally). That represents almost 25 percent. An astonishing number by any measure.

This does not even consider the myriad people in other political offices who have been the victims of violence.

While I strongly agree with the sentiments expressed in the editorial, you might want to rethink your headline.