In 1933, the Reichstag, the German parliament building, burned to the ground. Adolf Hitler, the new leader, did not lose a moment. It was, he announced, a CommunistAn economic system entailing collective ownership of all means of production in contrast with capitalism, which holds that industry and businesses are controlled and run for profit by private owners rather than by the government. conspiracy, and he would need emergency powers to deal with it.¹

He got them. And so began 12 years of horror.

Today it can be hard to understand how Hitler could take over. But Weimar GermanyThe government of Germany from 1918 to 1933. had gone through years of violence between right and left. He just had to promise to end the violence by destroying his opponents.²

Many experts have compared the shooting of Donald Trump on Saturday to the Reichstag fire. They say it could be a turning point after years of growing political violence.

Polls show 26 million Americans believe in using violence against Trump and 18 million say they would use violence to support him.³ It is more than enough to spark a civil warA war between people from the same country. .

That gives Trump a choice. He can seize the moment to unleash new violence against his opponents. Or he can turn to a message of peace.

Here are a few things he could say to restore peace to America and the world.

Ending the cycle. Martin Luther KingThe civil rights leader was shot dead in Tennessee in 1968.  once said: "Hate begetsA verb meaning to cause or bring about.  hate; violence begets violence".⁴ The only way out of this spiral is to renounce violence.

Opponent, not enemy. The founding principle of democracyA system of government based on the idea of rule by the people. is that everyone wants what is best for their country; they just have different ideas about how to achieve it. We can only live in harmony if we believe this.

End the conspiracies. We live in the same place but we read different news, scroll different social media, listen to different podcasts. We are unable to understand how the other side even thinks.

Life outside politics. What we drink, where we shop, the TV we watch, these have all been turned into political decisions. It means we have nothing left in common with the people we disagree with.

Is political violence getting worse?

Yes: The last 15 years have seen a wave of attacks on politicians and their families. Millions now support violence against their opponents. Something has to give.

No: The USA has always been a violent place. Many political figures were murdered in past decades, from civil rights leaders to two Kennedy brothers. This is terrible but not out of the ordinary.

Or... It is true that shootings have always been common in the USA, but this is different. Millions of people are in a position to coordinate armed warfare with their opponents. The USA is a powder kegA barrel of gunpowder. Often used to describe a situation which could become very dangerous. .

Communist - An economic system entailing collective ownership of all means of production in contrast with capitalism, which holds that industry and businesses are controlled and run for profit by private owners rather than by the government.

Weimar Germany - The government of Germany from 1918 to 1933.

Civil war - A war between people from the same country.

Martin Luther King - The civil rights leader was shot dead in Tennessee in 1968. 

Begets - A verb meaning to cause or bring about. 

Democracy - A system of government based on the idea of rule by the people.

Powder keg - A barrel of gunpowder. Often used to describe a situation which could become very dangerous.