Fact check: Which are more violent in the USA, right or left extremist?

1. Summary of the results

The question of whether right or left extremists are more violent in the USA is a complex one, with various sources providing different insights. According to ^[1], right-wing extremist terrorism is a significant threat in the United States, with 67 domestic terror incidents documented from 2017 to 2022, particularly by white supremacists ^[1]. ^[2] also suggests that right-wing extremists pose the most significant terrorism threat to the United States, based on annual terrorist events and fatalities, with right-wing attacks and plots accounting for the majority of all terrorist incidents in the United States since 1994 ^[2]. On the other hand, ^[3] and ^[3] report that political violence in America is driven by a mix of different extremist ideologies, making it difficult to attribute the violence to a specific ideology ^[3]. ^[4] notes that radical acts perpetrated by individuals associated with left-wing causes are less likely to be violent ^[4]. Overall, while there is evidence to suggest that right-wing extremism is a significant threat, the issue of political violence is complex and multifaceted, and ^[5] emphasizes the need for politicians to condemn it unequivocally and for communities to take action to stop it ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

A key missing context in the original statement is the definition of violence and how it is measured. ^[6] notes that recent political violence has affected both Democrats and Republicans, making it difficult to attribute the violence to a specific ideology ^[6]. ^[7] provides information on comparing violent extremism and terrorism to other forms of targeted violence, but does not directly compare the violence of right and left extremist groups in the USA ^[7]. Additionally, ^[8] criticizes President Trump for downplaying right-wing extremism and instead blaming the left for political violence, suggesting that this rhetoric could embolden violent far-right radicals and contribute to further violence ^[8]. Alternative viewpoints, such as the role of social media and political rhetoric in fueling extremism, are also not fully explored in the original statement. ^[3] and ^[5] highlight the need for a nuanced understanding of the complex factors driving political violence ^{[3] [5]}.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be biased towards implying that one side is more violent than the other, when in fact the issue is more complex. ^[8] suggests that President Trump's rhetoric downplaying right-wing extremism and blaming the left for political violence could be misleading and contribute to further violence ^[8]. ^[1] and ^[2] provide evidence that right-wing extremism is a significant threat, but ^[3] and ^[3] emphasize that political violence is driven by a mix of different extremist ideologies ^[3]. The original statement may also be misinforming by implying that there is a clear comparison between right and left extremist violence, when in fact the data is more nuanced. ^[4] notes that radical acts perpetrated by individuals associated with left-wing causes are less likely to be violent, but this does not necessarily mean that left-wing extremism is not a threat ^[4]. Overall, a more nuanced understanding of the complex factors driving political violence is necessary to avoid misinformation and bias ^{[3] [5]}.