Recommendations for A Peaceful Future for America

Yesterday’s attacks on US institutions, across the country, symbolizing democracy, the integrity of the constitution, and the voice of the American people executing their right to free and fair elections was a shameful display by a violent minority of American voices. 

The movement that stormed the US Capitol Building is not a new movement, nor is it going to go away anytime soon. We have been tracking it over the past year and are continuously monitoring and adding both recent and historic events to our Hate Map. As the map indicates the movement is global in nature, with a high potential for direct violence and intimidation. The threat posed by this movement must not be taken lightly.

The events of yesterday shows that President Trump has a loyal following with high potential for violence and disruption. It also falls in line with a persistent lack of appropriate responses from the President to the threat of violence against democratic institutions and political figures. The President has persistently failed to condemn, and has at times, including yesterday has embraced and encouraged this movement and their acts of violence against individuals and institutions.

It is our fear that this movement will not settle down, nor respect the lawful result of the US Election of 2020 as certified by the US Senate and House of Representatives. 

The certification and proceedings to inaugurate President Elect Joe Biden and Vice President Elect Kamala Harris on January 20th shows the strength of US institutions designed to uphold the constitution and execute the will of the American people. The election results do however continue to be contested by a sitting President rejecting the reality of his loss, and a vast following across the country. This mismatch in the perception of the reality of the electoral results falls in line with the systemic undermining of a common understanding of the political reality of the United States. We have seen polarization increase. This shift has taken place with the encouragement of the President and other legal figures undermining media, academia and public institutions, over the past several years. At this point the strength of institutions is not enough. Action must be taken to rebuild the shared foundation and understanding of the political reality of the United States of America.

We at the Khalifa Ihler Institute, based our experience as peacebuilders and in countering radicalization into violent extremism that may lead to terrorism or violent uprisings are in the process of developing a strategic response to these threats facing the USA. 

As a start we are have developed six recommended actions to address these issues: 

First and foremost the issue of the far right in the US can no longer be ignored. Recognition of the problem is the first step on the path to resolving it. The far right movement in the US has deep roots and a long history of violence. It is time lawmakers, academic the media and the public work together to acknowledge and address this. Recognizing and understanding the  scale, scope and depth of the issue requires structural efforts, funding for research and collaboration across sectors.

Secondly; with the absence of a shared understanding of the political reality of the United States, paving a unified and peaceful path forward is impossible. We therefore recommend truth-finding efforts akin to what we have seen in post-conflict transitional processes such as in South Africa and Rwanda. This also requires work to cement ownership of the process in the American people in order to build trust in the process itself.

Third; on the basis of, and tandem with the truth finding efforts we recommend efforts to reconcile divided communities in order to fight back against political polarization, the developing and ever present hatred along racial, religious, socio-economic and other demographic and political divides across the United States.

Fourth; in order for these processes to have credibility and avoid disruption efforts must be undertaken to disengage and rehabilitate members of militant groups as well as members of fringe groups and networks within which conspiracy theories has thrived. Building the structure and infrastructure for rehabilitative efforts, Exit work, and efforts akin to efforts of demilitarisation, disengagement and rehabilitation of violent groups works, and it’s key for the successful and peaceful future of the United States.  

Fifth; social infrastructure includes public schools, libraries and other arenas in which shared identity is developed. It also underpins the development of social capital and mobility. Working across these institutions, and working to strengthen these institutions in order to adequately address grievances, build a shared identity rooted in scientific fact, and the various experiences of the peoples of America and their histories is key to mend the social fabric of the nation.

Sixth; lawmakers, policy makers, private corporations and others wielding economic, political and social influence must come together, not only in a display of unity, but in order to develop meaningful strategic and political changes in order to support these efforts for the peaceful and prosperous future of america.

We hope for a peaceful and democratic future for the United States of America and for the peoples who have come together to build a country in unity. We stand ready to work with the US Administration, lawmakers, state officials, federal and local government officials, with local and international organizations, peacemakers, politicians, grassroots activists and others to build a brighter, more united future for communities across the country.