Recent incidents of physical altercations among politicians in the United States have raised questions about the acceptance of political violence in the country. The most recent incident involved Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) almost coming to blows with Teamsters union president Sean O'Brien during a Senate committee hearing. Mullin defended his actions, stating that in Oklahoma, "you don't run your mouth" like O'Brien did online. He further justified his behavior by suggesting that sometimes people need to get punched in the face.

While these incidents may seem isolated, they are part of a broader pattern that implies an acceptance, albeit slight, of using violence to resolve disputes. The question of whether Americans accept political violence has been looming for years, especially after the January 6th Capitol riot. According to a recently released survey by PRRI, a third of Republicans believe that "patriots" may need to resort to violence to bring about change. However, this sentiment has also increased among Democrats and the overall population.

It is important to note that we are not discussing a widespread endorsement of political violence but rather the acceptance or tolerance of violence within the political sphere. The incidents occurring on Capitol Hill spark concerns about the erosion of democracy in the United States, echoing patterns observed in other countries. As debates about political violence persist, the nation faces the challenge of maintaining a peaceful and respectful political discourse.