I really appreciate you’re coverage of this, as an American I don’t personally believe we can come out of this better, but it is good to see someone talk common sense and provide some clarity / insight into what’s happening

universal condemnation is key indeed. Thanks Vlad.

Good points Vlad "the existential talk" puts people into survival mode which then puts us in a state of mind where aggression and violence can occur

I appreciate your level headed analysis. As someone living in the U.S. it is easy to feel a bit panicked right now.

"We're on a ship and we're going into open water. It will get bumpy, but that doesn't mean we're gonna sink." I look around the ship and it's looking bad. It's rusty and shaky and rickety. The motor is smoking already, there are leaks, the captain's drunk, the sailors are in disarray and there's a fight going on in the engine room. No, it's not certain we're gonna sink, but I can't help but think about it.

Thank you, Vlad. Political violence is completely unacceptable. A democracy is based on opposing sides of any issue being able to have a free discourse, with the goal of reaching an agreement, often with compromise. Freedom of speech, and freedom of the press, are essential elements of a healthy democracy. Political violence is the antithesis of a healthy democracy. We would do well to remember the old saying, that, "I may not agree with your opinion, but I will fight to the death for your right to express it."

Vlad i want to thank you again. I was overwhelmed by the "situation". You the only one the makes sense. It was sincerely comforting. 👍

Thank you for your valuable insight and wisdom in this age of confusion and chaos ...

This is a gift for Trump

i will labor to change my feelings to bring them into line with what you have outlined here. thank you for always encouraging me to be better❤

Vlad: But that does not mean that democracy is gonna collapse. Weimar Republic: hold my beer

Thank you Vlad, I turn to you for you honest intelligent perspective. I am afraid of how this event will be weaponized, Your advise is soild.

That will play into hands of the Trumpians.

Hi Vlad, thank you. Always a voice of reason, calmness, analysis, logical reasoning, and dissemination. As you rightly point out, democracy will withstand and continue, assuring words for all free societies. Great posts

Thank you Vlad, for your measured and well thought out explanation. As an admittedly ardent despiser of Trump and the MAGA movement, your discourse has me examining the ways I’m viewing this situation. These are absolutely insane times we are living through. The sanity and humanity with which people such as yourself espouse, will help people such as myself to navigate their own inner and outer discourse.

Thanks Vlad. Usually do repost your videos, with small digest in ukrainian. keep up the good work.

Thank you for that sage perspective Vlad.

KZfaq censorship is a joke.

You are the leveler! Thank God for strength, Biden's strength and commonsense! Thanks Vlad ❤!

Well said vlad. You are such a beacon of reason and peace.

Thank you for a beautifully reasoned and explained video

Yes! A measured synopsis of the events from the weekend. Thank you.

almost a carbon copy of what happened in Slovakia just 2 months ago

Down with this sort of thing!

Didnt Trump make jokes about political vioelnce when that dude took a hammer to Paul Pilosi? What changed?

I see the problem with the American two-party system is both parties have to differentiate themselves so much that there is no gray, there is no middle ground. It is the driving force behind polarization. The sad truth is it leaves a huge, if not a majority, of Americans alienated. Culturally it has driven a wedge between us as a society.

We're so fucked.😢

The photo of Trump raising his fist with blood running down his face, and the American flag in the background, is politically akin as the Iwo Jima photo is to victorious battle. It will be a powerful image, unfortunately.

“why oh why can’t politicians advocate for racial violence in peace” - someone on twitter.

Do you hear that sound my friend ? Listen ... that creaking sound is of the pillars of civilisation swaying in the winds of history.

Thank you. We needed that right now to be reminded of what we are looking at.

MTG and Don Jr basically blaming all Democrats for this suggests Vlad will be left wanting here.

My question is: would you have made the same video (if technically possible) in the 1930s after attempts on Hitler's life?

Thank you Vlad. We need many more voices of reason like yours. 👌.

Yes, absolutely. But it's difficult to consistently and unequivocally do the right thing when one side consistently takes the low road. Case in point: "If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I don't know."

FDR say, "I agree with you; I want to do it; now make me do it” . In this to be is the secret of democracy. There must always be an opposition, but regardless of rhetoric etc, both (obviously) has the interest of the country at heart; by understanding what the function of a responsible opposition is. NOT THIS. Of course campaigning can become a bit bitchy, but at the end of the day both (or an out South African example, many) have the same interests at heart.

"Troubled" is a weird way to say we're doomed.

And here I was hoping I'd listen to the Q&A when I properly wake up in the morning 😢

thank you for injecting hope

Thank you for your efforts in helping make all this crazy sh*t make a bit of sense!

Bravo, Vlad!

Thank you for rapid reflection video! Sad moment!!!

Everyone should get hold of a copy of the film "Bob Roberts", and watch it now.

Thanks for being with us vlad I can only assume with your health it's taxing to be on at short notice

Wish this video hadn’t cut off, Vlad. I was learning from you x

Especially a few days after the attack on Sotomayor.

The polarization just exponentially increased.

Greatly appreciate your various commentaries. We need a one paragraph "abstract" or summary at the beginning. This one is almost an hour (53 minutes); I need to have a 3 minute (5 minute at most) summary at the beginning. If I'm interested in all the reasoning, I'll listen to all the rest. I DO want to hear (or read) what you have to say; just say it faster and shorter, PLEASE. Thank you Vlad.

Thank you once again for your sober analysis. By the way: the title slide of the video contains a spelling mistake (assasination with an extra o)

Despite all the medea pundits and talking heads yapping away, I think the American people are tired of Trump. They just want it over. They are tired of the chaos and the drama.

People may now think twice about sitting behind Trump at his Rallies.

Thanks Vlad. Voices of reason seem fewer and further between, lately.

Dear Vlad. Thnks for this valuable video. Who is the political philosopher or theorist that you are using here? It would be helpful to know for my reasearch.

@ Vlad You are a better man than I because my first thought, albeit in the mental fog of switching on my phone at 6:30 am, was ‘Damn’ and not in a good way. However it did set me thinking about a sort of historical parallel. You will be familiar with Senator Huey Long but for the benefit of others he was a Trump-like US populist politician in the 1930s, albeit a Democrat, who was assassinated when contemplating a challenge to the not-yet-sainted FDR in the 1936 election. One of the great what-ifs of US politics.

vlad i understand your points, but your reading it as a european, the usa was built on a different foundation

Here's my theory. The kid was an abuse victim who snapped / possibly felt betrayed by the revelations all over twitter about Trump, which were everywhere just 24hrs or so before the shooting. If anything would be strong enough to cause an about-turn in someone's views on Trump, it'd likely be that kind of trauma. He lived close enough to act on impulse, grabbing his Dad's gun and heading there without much planning - hence the crazy ballsiness of the positioning he took up. More planning would probably have led to a more cautious plan being in place on his part - that he could get so close was more down to situational luck and poor protection on the security detail's part. I don't think it's coincidence that those revelations about Trump were all over social media only a day before the shooting.

Why doesn’t Europe push back against US isolationist rhetoric. If the U.S. puts European security at risk then why wouldn’t Europe put US citizens whose jobs rely on the 15-20% of US exports going to Europe at risk. It’d be like living in a small town where the one cop still expects to be able to do business at the one grocery store after saying he has no plan to stop anyone trying to rob the store

He had it coming. With all the horrible things he did and all the horrible things he promised to do... someone was bound to try something like that. He literally said that he wants to be a dictator and then went to the Supreme Court and argued that he needs carte blanche as President to break the law.

Of course Trump is ok, anyone watch wrestling?

The saddest time in history to be an America. Democracy in today's USA is akin to be a Jew in 1933, Germany. Or at least it feels like it.

2:12 And what if you don’t live in a democracy?

My reflex is to agree with your contention that political violence is abhorrent to democracy and should be universally condemned without ifs or buts; But sometimes there are ifs, sometimes there are buts. What if democracy itself is imperiled? Clearly there are circumstances when restraints on political violence should be suspended to defend a greater good. The numerous attempts to assassinate Hitler come to mind, as had one of them only succeeded immense human suffering would have been averted. In the context of recent history can a legitimate argument be made that Trump does indeed pose a threat to democracy itself? Had the assassin been successful today would the dark future we seem to be hurtling towards be exchanged for something less malign or tragically more so?

I don't see it as a troubled democracy. This is what happens in a country that allows you to easily get your hands on a gun plus mental health issues. It is not the same as an autocratic society where you try to take out your political opponent.

We'll just have to see how it plays out. Who was the assassin? He might even have been a disenchanted Republican or a disgruntled recent immigrant, or even someone without US citizenship. Maybe even a Russian agent?

Do you think this is a response to the supreme court decision re presidential immunity? That is what initially occured to me, i could be wrong but that may make some people feel more desperate.

I was hoping you will make a comment. Thanks

This is the first time I've strongly disagreed with you, Vlad. This *is* existential for American democracy. I don't think electing a neofascist is any better because it was done democratically.

Great speech - 5% … either way, yes

I haven't watched for a while because he applies whatever he knows or claims to know about Russian and European politics to American politics and events. It fails. There is no relationship. I watched again with the Trump event to see. He still knows little.

Having just started posting publicly about politics on social media, I've stated ofc that this action is destructive, polarizing, and should be condemned. I also drew a connection to the January 6th events, and that I'd hope that other's would have a similar attitude towards them. Emotionally speaking, others who identify with Trump might not appreciate this perspective, of course, may dislike me pointing out hypocrisy or see it as me manipulating the political discussion towards my views (which in a sense, I am). Am I approaching the subject responsibly, if not tactfully, and is this approach constructive towards democracy?

There's a typo on the video image/cover

would you like chapters for this?

Lovely Video, Vlad.

There's a third element polarizing the populace. Biden and Obama seemed to be speaking to their supporters who embrace violence in quite large numbers. Biden and Obama seemed a little clinical in their statements.

Vlad, have you read Ronnie De Sousa's article entitled 'Forget Morality'?

Okay okay okay, 5%.

sorry, this time I disagree.

Didn't DdT say he would jail and prosecute all his opponents?

Yeah condemn Stauffenberg for his failure…

Why are you streaming in the middle of the night, Vlad?

Putin is smiling today… Will see if Trump is able to protect democracy or sacrifice it for an election advantage..

Why did you decide to cut this off? What was discussed there previously?

"I was shot with a bullet that p..." of course it wasn't a SILVER BULLET that explain way I'm still alive .. :D

Just a heads up, but you spelt assassination wrong on the thumbnail.

Vlad, love your channel. But I get the sense that you don't understand the level of vitriol and venom that has been growing from the Republican side since 1994. The party has been transformed over the last 30 years. Many old style Republicans are appalled.

Thomas Crooks: registered republican. I rest my case.

The fact that you said violence "NEVER" has a good effect negates your whole argument. "Rarely" would be more accurate.

You don’t have a diverse audience. When you do , you will have a chance to speak for Democracy

the no political violence means the American Revolution would never have happened

French Revolution?

Here we go!

Framing this as if it were the crossing of the political violence threshold -which will beget more of the same- is an astoundingly poor-judgement misinterpretation of why this is happening… as if Trump’s perpetration of Jan 6 _as president,_ and the lives taken that day, _weren’t_ the crossing of that threshold. What’s more: making this a _now-urgent_ call for universal condemnation is absurd on its face. There is still ANYTHING BUT universal condemnation of the fatal events of Jan 6. Condemnation of _that_ remains purely along partisan lines, with Trump’s entire party *actively condoning it, openly campaigning on it, and treating the perpetrators as “political hostages.”* That point cannot be overstated: the Republican Party itself has institutionalized and codified as virtuous political violence against their opponents. They continue to do so from the highest levels. IE: from Trump himself, the RNC, and their think-tanks like the Heritage Foundation. Ad Nauseam. Yet here we are. Listening to a political philosopher tell us _this time_ there must be universal condemnation and a return to the normalcy of political adversaries vs. enemies. This lopsided burdening of responsibility on the political bloc who *aren’t* officially - _from the highest leadership levels_ -condoning, justifying, and championing lethal force as the means to political ends… my _god_ is that shortsighted and proving to be HIGHLY irresponsible…as seen evidenced by today’s events. I maintain Vlad does not understand the political situation in the US, and is stuck here *preaching to only the lawful & peaceful victims of it all* to stop the lawlessness, simply because the demographic _not_ encouraged by their leadership to engage in such unrest are the only audience willing to lend an ear. This is all a bit like telling Ukraine to stop fighting Russia’s war of aggression against them… and the fact that Vlad can’t see the parallels between the two is gut-wrenching.

That what happens when media rightfully or not calls Trump threat to democracy

I did not understand a word. I always believed to be absolutely fluent in English... but you use a wording i probably wouldn't even understand in German. I believe you explain my opinion in way more sophisticated manner i could ever dream of. "let's keep talking to each other instead of stripping our opponent bare of any rights / dehumanize him." I hope you understand what i am trying to say.

one of these two Maxwell David Yearick Thomas Matthew Crooks

“Assasionation”?!

No ifs, no buts? Yes the first urgent thing is for Biden to give a presidential speech condemning the act and wishing his opponent well. Unfortunately though, this kind of thing is, I would say, exactly what Trump is aiming for and somehow that will need to be said at some point whilst not risking the victim blaming accusation. Ps. I see that Video did give a pretty good reaction.

This is where Donald Trump has taken American to sadly.

It’s extremely unfortunate it failed…

But what if...