Violence stains our politics again

The terrifying firebombing of the Pennsylvania governor's mansion that targeted Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family was yet another example of the alarming violence growing out of the nation's bitter political divide.

While the governor and his family slept, Harrisburg resident Cody Balmer allegedly jumped a fence at the mansion and broke windows to access the residence. The attack came hours after Shapiro celebrated a Passover seder in the very rooms set on fire. Balmer, whose mother said he had serious mental health issues, which he denied at his arraignment Monday, lit fuses on two beer bottles to start the fire which caused significant damage to parts of the house and risked the lives of 25 people inside. State troopers woke up Shapiro, his family, and guests at 2 a.m. and guided them to safety.

There is much we don't know about Balmer's motivation, but what we do know is that the ugly strains of political violence in America's history are running strong.

Shapiro is a prominent figure in Democratic politics; he was among the finalists Kamala Harris considered as a running mate last year, and is often named as a possible presidential candidate for 2028. Balmer's social media indicated a dislike for former President Joe Biden. And the suspect told police, after he turned himself in Sunday, that he "harbored hatred" for Shapiro and was prepared to beat the governor with a hammer.

Whether Balmer had a more personal issue with the governor — perhaps Shapiro's Jewish faith, as the governor wondered — or targeted him for specific political reasons remains to be seen. Balmer's mother said he had stopped taking his medication and that she tried unsuccessfully to get her son help, a claim that again underscores the nation's severe shortcomings in handling the needs of those who are mentally ill.

Last summer, also in Pennsylvania, saw the first of two attempted assassinations of President Donald Trump on the campaign trail. December brought the murder of United Healthcare chief executive Brian Thompson; alleged assailant Luigi Mangione is being glorified in some quarters as a hero for spotlighting a frustrating health care system, risking that other troubled individuals might think their own horrific acts could give them a moment in the spotlight. Meanwhile, people protesting Elon Musk's role in the Trump administration have been vandalizing Tesla cars and dealerships, a different strain of violence.

Shapiro did not revert to the trope of saying this is not who we are as a nation. Two-plus centuries of evidence dispute that notion. Balmer was arraigned 160 years to the day that Abraham Lincoln was shot. Instead, Shapiro urged, "We have to be better than this."

That's easier said than done in a society where violence is too often celebrated, where political and religious hatred is too often empowered, where severe mental health concerns are too often ignored. This latest horrific attack reminds us once again that we must keep trying.