The lack of civility in American political discourse isn't a new problem, according to one history professor.

A 2024 Gallup poll indicates that current political rhetoric has gone too far, and it's fueling frustrations with political leadership. The study says 94% of Democrats and 93% of Republicans agree that inflammatory language aimed at the other party is harmful and counterproductive.

Ted Frantz, who chairs the history department at the University of Indianapolis, claimed anyone who is following U.S. politics can see the country is in a crisis moment.

"Since our politics tend to be reduced to two parties, at times, you might be able to justify what happens in the heat of the moment because you believe in your cause," he said. "But the problem with that, of course, is if you extend the rules or suspended the rules at a time when you really need them enforced for something you do care about, then somebody else can employ the same logic."

The survey also found that Americans view the spread of extremist views online as a main factor contributing to political violence. Frantz agreed that recognizing someone as human in a conversation is hard if the person is on a screen, and that people need to approach conversations about politics with a sense of humility and compassion. There can be more than one side to an argument, he said, and even if you disagree, you can express those ideas after showing up and listening.

Last month, the Trump administration ordered the removal of four panels at Independence Park, the Philadelphia home of former President George Washington. The exhibit honored the names of nine enslaved people owned by Washington. Critics see the decision as another attempt to distort and erase Black history.

Frantz called the removal highly political, and said more effort should be made to write history in a more balanced and inclusive tone.

"To rewrite history as rapidly as the administration did is a disservice to what happened during the Civil Rights Movement," he said. "It's a disservice to the professionalism of the people who had established those markers, and it helps, effectively, unfortunately, erase key narratives about what happened and why."

He added that it's dangerous when politicians are willing to distort the past to promote a political agenda in the present. Last week, a federal judge ordered the panels restored while a lawsuit against the Interior Department proceeds.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

Source: Public News Service