What happens when political violence shifts from isolated tragedies to a persistent feature of American civic life? In this episode of The Stakes, Shannon Hiller, executive director of Princeton’s Bridging Divides Initiative, explains why communities must resist treating violence as the new normal. 

Hiller warns that harassment and threats—especially against female, minority, and younger elected officials—are reshaping democracy at its most local level. Yet she insists that citizens are not powerless: by recognizing fear as a natural response, rejecting scapegoating, fact-checking information, and holding leaders accountable for dehumanizing rhetoric, they can make a difference. 

This conversation traces the impact of the September 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk and beyond, illustrating how tragedies can either spiral into retaliation or become turning points toward repair. Hiller shows why the future of American democracy depends on refusing resignation and acting now to make sure violence does not remain a defining feature of American life.