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On Sunday morning, after Saturday’s shooting at a Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania, Brian Hooks sat down with his 10-year-old daughter. The CEO of Stand Together talked with her about the moral imperative not to use violence to settle disagreements. Then he turned over the newspaper to show her the photo of the former president on the rally stage in the shooting’s wake.
Hooks wrote of this conversation in his statement about the shooting for Stand Together, a philanthropy of conservative billionaire Charles Koch. The organization funds nonprofits and programs that aim to close divides in the country.
“[Saturday] can be a wake-up call and mark the moment when we decide to build toward a better future together, or it can be a battle cry to double down on our divisions,” Hooks said. “And while some voices will be heard more loudly than others, the future depends less on the grand actions of the few than it does on the seemingly small acts of the many. We must all do our part to ensure our country makes the right choice.”
Hooks was one of dozens of nonprofit and philanthropy leaders to speak out after the shooting. We’ve collected their reactions here and will update the story periodically.
Most of the statements are from leaders and groups of the growing philanthropic movement to bring Americans together — sometimes called “bridging efforts” — and strengthen democracy and communities. We cover this movement through a special project called The Commons. Many of these leaders see the shooting as politically motivated, although authorities are still investigating. We have also included comments by gun-safety advocates and other philanthropic leaders, as well as a few perspectives offered directly to the Chronicle.
Reaction
“Don’t listen to anyone who is raising the rhetoric, calling for civil war, or declaring victory for one side or the other. That is the divisiveness that got us to this disgusting place. … Let’s come together and bring down the temperature in the country. Enough with the red and blue BS. We’re all American. We can disagree and debate without violence and hate.”
—Steven Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation
“If you ever thought polarization wasn’t a problem, look at its undeniable results.”
— Starts With Us
“Political violence is a heinous symptom of toxic polarization that has convinced us our fellow Americans are our enemies. That is a lie that threatens to destroy our nation.”
— Pearce Godwin, CEO, Listen First Project
“The divisions in our country are a spiritual crisis. We live in a culture that demands that we hate our neighbors when so many of us don’t even know our actual, literal neighbors. We are disconnected and divided and searching for purpose in the wrong places.
For people of faith, we know that our actions reflect our inner spiritual lives. We should not be surprised that a culture that encourages hate and contempt then produces violence. This is a moment for all Americans to reflect and then work toward the type of country we want, in humility and in prayer, together.”
— Andrew Hanauer, president, One America Movement
“We must all do everything we can in this terrible moment to ensure that it does not further divide us and recommit ourselves to defending, strengthening, and improving our democracy.”
— Ali Noorani, U.S. democracy program director, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
“Sudden and violent attacks shake my sense of safety and remind me of some of the most terrifying experiences of my life. I grieve for the lost and grieve, too, for those who survive. A bullet can pierce a body but also pierce the peace in our hearts.”
— Timothy Shriver, founder, Unite
“All political violence threatens American self-government. We are better than this. We all have a responsibility to bring the nation to a better place.”
— Keith Allred, executive director, National Institute for Civil Discourse
“It’s easy to critique our political opponents for their bloodthirst. It’s harder to see the degree to which a culture of violence and dominance and dehumanization affects our own social movements.”
— Eric K. Ward, executive vice president, Race Forward
“It is not just an attack on one man; it is an attack on democracy.”
— Unify America
“For years, we’ve unleashed bitter contempt on our fellow Americans who think and vote differently and, as a result, have created a toxic cycle to which both sides contribute. Together, we can change the trajectory of this polarization. Now is the time. Our country depends on it.”
— Braver Angels
“A few people on the left and the right — people that More in Common calls ‘conflict entrepreneurs’ — have tried to seize on this moment for political gain. And their craven leadership will harden stances around the assassination attempt. I think it’s important to remind Americans that it’s OK to trust their common — and compassionate — sense in this moment.”
— Jason Mangone, executive director, More in Common US
“We have to bring our country back together. This must be priority No. 1. Right. Left. Independent. It doesn’t matter. … Our toxic polarization has real world consequences. It’s time to chart a new path.”
— Manu Meel, CEO, BridgeUSA
“Political violence is never acceptable. Such acts work against a healthy, inclusive democracy, and we must work toward a future where everyone can engage in the democratic process without fear.”
— Kettering Foundation
“Political violence is an attack on our democracy and the values that are foundational to our country.”
— Melinda French Gates, Pivotal Ventures
“What happened [Saturday] did not occur in a vacuum. We must turn away from this path of toxic polarization, where differences in politics escalate to hate-fueled rhetoric and, ultimately, violence. There is a path forward, but it will require Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs to bring our country back together. After this election, those who voted differently than you will still be your neighbors, family members, and community members.”
— Civic Health Project
“It is not just the act of violence but the spirit of violence that must be opposed. It is not just the action to harm another which must be opposed but the desire that harm would fall to another. If we do not have the courage to pursue a politics of love, our political heart will become consumed by hate.”
— Michael Wear, president and CEO, the Center for Christianity and Public Life
“[Saturday’s] shooting was the direct result of an inhumane and irresponsible culture of violence. The shooting is not about the right versus the left — or merely the result of divisive rhetoric, as many will claim. Shallow messages of unity and reaching across the aisle will not solve this. Today’s shooting is yet another consequence of building and maintaining a nation based in violence, control, and bloodshed. We need and deserve leaders who understand safety and peace are not abstract ideas — they are policy choices.”
— NDN Collective
“We strongly condemn the attack on former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. Political violence has no place in our society, and we denounce any actions that harm individuals and threaten democratic principles.”
— Open Society Foundations
“Guns are a threat to our homes, our communities, and, as this incident demonstrates with absolute clarity, our democracy. It’s time for Americans to realize that guns won’t solve our problems, and they do not make us safer.”
— Nina Vinik, President, Project Unloaded
“Our country is in the grip of a gun violence crisis, and our democracy and safety are on the ballot. We must work together to free America from gun violence.”
— Kris Brown, president, Brady
“We are now at a perilous moment where the risk of violence and harassment, which is already dangerously on the rise, can escalate further. Now is the time for all of us across the country to step forward with a recommitment to civility and respect in our civic discourse and to upholding peaceful, free, and fair elections as the foundation of our democracy.”
— Nancy Lindborg, CEO, David and Lucile Packard Foundation
“Now is the time for all of us to come together behind these efforts and bolster the democratic systems, values, and norms — including non-violence — that unite so many in the United States and abroad.”
— Rajiv Shah, president, Rockefeller Foundation
“We reject any form of political violence, hatred, and extremism. It’s only together that we can build a stronger and more united country.”
— Omidyar Network
“We believe in free and fair elections, the peaceful transition of power, and nonviolent political discourse. Violence has no place in our election process. It is more important now than ever that our country lifts up these hallmarks of democracy if we are to continue towards a more perfect union.”
— Fair Elections Center
“Many Americans find common ground, but there are those who have exaggerated fears of others across the political spectrum. When people have such fears, some consider preventing those in other political parties from having or using power. For a select few, actions may culminate in heinous violence.”
— James Coan, executive director, More Like US
“Community is the only antidote to the deep divisions again threatening our democracy. No matter who wins in November, it is unlikely to change how Americans feel about their country and each other.
“Because democracy is more than politics and elections, institutions, and laws. It is a culture of shared purpose founded on trust in our neighbors. That trust has eroded due to years of underinvestment in communities, zero-sum politics, the spread of mis- and disinformation, and citizen disengagement. We cannot let it be erased altogether by acts of political violence.”
— Stephen Heinz, president, Rockefeller Brothers Fund
(The Commons is financed in part with philanthropic support from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Einhorn Collaborative, and JPB Foundation. None of our supporters have any control over or input into story selection, reporting, or editing, and they do not review articles before publication. See more about the Chronicle, the grants, how our foundation-supported journalism works, and our gift-acceptance policy.)