Why the Right Is So Violent—And How We Help People Walk Away From It
But the data tells a very different story.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, over 75% of all extremist-related murders in the United States over the last decade were committed by right-wing extremists.
Not liberals.
Not Black Lives Matter.
Not Antifa.
Right-wing, often white nationalist, actors. In fact, in 2022 alone, every ideologically motivated killing was tied to the far right.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have repeatedly warned that the greatest domestic terror threat comes not from the left, but from white supremacist and militia groups aligned with right-wing ideologies. The same kinds of people who stormed the Capitol on January 6th, beat police officers with flagpoles, erected a gallows, and tried to overthrow a democratic election.
Because propaganda is powerful. And so is fear. And when people are afraid, they cling to strongmen who promise safety, even if those strongmen are the ones lighting the fire.
Why the Right Is So Violent
Violence isn’t an accident of far-right politics. It’s a feature.
Right-wing extremism is fueled by a volatile cocktail of authoritarianism, white grievance, hyper-masculinity, and moral panic.
It festers in echo chambers that normalize violence as patriotism, cruelty as virtue, and domination as divine will.
Empathy is mocked. Compassion is weakness. And the gospel of fear is preached from pulpits, podiums, and primetime.
It’s not just policy, it’s identity.
It’s culture.
The right isn’t violent because its members are simply angrier or meaner. It’s violent because the ideology itself teaches that power must be enforced through control, punishment, and fear. It glorifies strength, submission, and hierarchy, and frames dissent as a threat to be eliminated, not engaged.
And it’s no coincidence that violent extremists overwhelmingly support Donald Trump.
Even if Trump himself never pulled a trigger, he built the stage for those who do. He told rally-goers to “knock the crap out of them.” He praised a Republican who assaulted a journalist. He called white supremacists “very fine people.” He told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.” And when the Capitol was stormed in his name, he told the attackers they were “very special” and “loved.”
Trump may not need to be racist to be dangerous. But the racists sure do love him.
And why wouldn’t they? He gave them a megaphone. He gave them permission. He made them feel righteous.
But this didn’t start with Trump. And it won’t end with him either.
The American right has long trafficked in dog whistles and scare tactics. “Law and order” meant crackdowns on Black communities. “Family values” meant policing women and queer people. “Second Amendment rights” meant armed intimidation of anyone who dared to challenge the status quo. It’s a movement that frames any challenge to dominance as an existential threat, and demands violence in response.
When you combine:
• Authoritarian personalities drawn to strict hierarchies,
• A media ecosystem that profits off panic,
• A culture that equates masculinity with brutality,
• And decades of political rhetoric demonizing the other…
…you don’t just get violence. You get a base that feels entitled to it.
And until we dismantle the systems that reward that entitlement, until we rewrite what strength actually means, the violence will keep escalating.
That’s not just a right-wing problem. That’s a national emergency.
No One Thinks They’re the Villain
Here’s the most chilling part: many of these people think they’re doing the right thing. They’re not twirling mustaches in a secret lair. They’re showing up to school board meetings convinced they’re protecting their children. They’re bringing guns to drag storytime because they genuinely think they’re saving America.
And that’s exactly why facts alone won’t save us. We’re not dealing with a lack of information. We’re dealing with a story people believe about who they are.
So What Do We Do?
We do the hard, holy work of helping people walk away from extremism.
• Asking disarming questions instead of giving lectures.
• Separating their identity from their ideology.
• Exposing the way they’ve been used by the very elites they think they’re defending.
• Offering dignity on the other side of deconstruction.
Because shame locks people in. Compassion unlocks them.
Most importantly, we must build movements, communities, and spaces where people feel they can belong without hating someone else. Because the human need for identity and belonging is stronger than reason.
We Can’t Win by Imitating Their Violence
We are in a dangerous moment. And it’s tempting to match their rage with our own. But the goal isn’t to defeat them in a shouting match. The goal is to stop them from turning this country into a battlefield. The goal is transformation. Not just resistance.
It starts by telling the truth. About who’s actually violent. About why. And about what it means to choose peace in a culture addicted to power.
You can’t deprogram someone in a single conversation. But you can be the crack in the wall. The moment they remember later. The person who made them pause.
It’s slow. It’s messy. But it works.
And honestly, in a world so poisoned by propaganda and fear, there’s something radical about choosing empathy anyway.
We’re just brave enough to try.
Right-wing beliefs are often fused with someone’s sense of masculinity, patriotism, faith, or “being a good person.”
• “I know you love your country. I just think real patriotism means protecting everyone’s rights, not just our own.”
• “I don’t think you’re hateful. I think you’ve been surrounded by people who taught you to fear the wrong things.”
• “Being strong doesn’t mean being cruel. It means knowing when to protect instead of punish.”
• “Loving your family is powerful. I’m asking you to care about other families, too.”
These affirm their values while challenging the way those values have been distorted.
People feel betrayed more deeply than they feel “wrong.” So help them realize they’ve been manipulated.
• “Isn’t it wild how the rich always seem to come out fine no matter who’s in office? Meanwhile we’re fighting each other.”
• “They tell you to blame immigrants while they ship jobs overseas and take tax breaks.”
• “Trump lives in a gold tower and thinks “groceries” is an old fashioned word. Do you really think he knows or cares what your life is like?”
• “They got you angry about bathrooms and drag queens while they’re cutting your Medicare and raising your rent.”
It’s not about calling them stupid. It’s about showing how they’ve been conned.
Disarming Questions to Open a Conversation:
These questions help defuse defensiveness and plant curiosity:
• “What would it take for you to see this differently?”
• “Have you ever had a moment where something just didn’t sit right with what you were hearing?”
• “Do you think both parties are equally violent? Where do you learn that information?”
• “What would you do if someone you cared about was hurt by someone wearing that hat?”
• “Do you think the media you follow would ever lie to you to keep you angry?”
• “Can you describe the America you want your grandkids to grow up in?”
The goal is not to win. It’s to make them pause.
• Speak slowly and softly. They expect a fight. Don’t give them one.
• Use “I” statements. “I’m just trying to understand…” keeps things personal and non-threatening.
• Mirror their language, but redirect it. If they say, “I just want freedom,” respond with, “I want that too…. for everyone.”
• Know when to walk away. You’re not a one-person rescue team. Plant the seed. Then let go.
• Practice “containment compassion.” Be kind without tolerating abuse. You’re not there to absorb harm.
Organizations Actively Helping People De-Radicalize:
These groups work to pull people out of extremism with empathy, education, and community support.
• Life After Hate
Founded by former violent extremists, this nonprofit helps people leave hate groups and build new lives.
lifeafterhate.org
• PERIL (Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab)
Georgetown University project researching how to prevent and reverse radicalization. perilresearch.com
• Beyond Barriers USA
Peer-to-peer exit support for white supremacists and far-right radicals. beyondbarriersusa.org
• The Dialogue Project
Uses storytelling and bridge-building to reduce polarization and restore trust between communities. thedialogueproject.com
You can donate to or partner with these organizations, or apply their tools in your own circles.
We’re not just fighting disinformation and violence, we’re fighting exhaustion, despair, and the slow drip of hopelessness.
Inside, you’ll find:
• Burnout prevention strategies grounded in psychology and community care
• Real-world scripts and tools for de-escalating radicalized conversations
• Daily practices to protect your energy while protecting others
• Resources for immigration justice, protest safety, and resisting authoritarianism
You don’t have to do everything. But you can do something.
And you can do it sustainably.
👉 Download the Resistance Manual now — Pay what you can, Suggested $10, Minimum at $0, because mutual aid and accessibility matters.
