Kirk was shot dead and America does what it always does:

I shouldn’t have to worry that images of real, graphic violence like that will, bit by bit, steal parts of their souls.

We shouldn’t have to cringe as online ghouls from across the political spectrum celebrate, speculate or pontificate on the latest shooting.

But we live in a country that has so much violence – political violence, street violence, domestic violence – that we find it necessary to either take out our bullhorn and make clear our dislike of violence or blame the violence on people we don’t like.

All of that is horrible. It’s not how a functioning society should operate.

Most people know it’s wrong. Most people want peace and safety and the freedom to speak their mind without threat of harm.

It can be stopped, but Americans don’t seem able to agree on how to get that done. Fewer guns? Better mental health services? Stricter laws? Toned-down rhetoric? More prayer? Better education?

How about all those things? How about we collectively recognize we’ve got a problem and cut the left vs. right crap and figure it out. How about we stop demanding everyone declare their deep opposition to senseless violence and start bridging the very divide that is undoubtedly making the violence worse.

I condemn violence in all forms. There, are you happy now?

The very fact that I have to do it tells you Americans need to pull their heads out of their political holes and forge a path to a place where a person’s condemnation of violence is simply assumed.