Fact check: In the US, is the right or the left more prone to violence?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided suggest that the right is more prone to violence in the US, with multiple sources citing data and research to support this claim ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}. For example, a report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) found that white supremacists were responsible for over 80% of extremism-related murders in the US in 2022 ^[3]. Additionally, research co-led by University of Maryland CCJS Professor Gary LaFree found that right-wing actors are significantly more violent than left-wing actors, with a higher probability of committing violent acts ^[5]. While some sources note that incidents of violence from the left are on the rise ^[6], the overall trend suggests that political violence still comes overwhelmingly from the right ^{[1] [6]}.

• Key findings from the analyses include:
• Right-wing extremist terrorism has increased in the US, with white supremacist groups being the primary perpetrators ^[2]
• All extremist-related murders in 2022 were committed by right-wing extremists, with 21 of those linked to white supremacists ^[4]
• A survey found that 38% of total respondents and 48% of those who identify as 'left of center' believe it would be 'somewhat justified' to murder President Trump, indicating some level of support for political violence from the left ^[7]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some sources note that incidents of violence from the left are on the rise ^[6], but this trend is not fully explored in the analyses. Additionally, the role of identity politics and social media in contributing to political violence is mentioned ^[6], but not fully examined. Furthermore, the views of Republicans and Democrats on issues like immigration and identity may contribute to the perception of political violence, but are not fully explored ^[8].

• Alternative viewpoints that could be considered include:
• The impact of social media on the spread of extremist ideologies and the glorification of violence ^[6]
• The role of mental health in contributing to violent behavior, regardless of political affiliation (not mentioned in the analyses)
• The potential for false flag operations or agent provocateurs to inflame tensions and contribute to violence (not mentioned in the analyses)

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement "In the US, is the right or the left more prone to violence?" may be framed in a way that implies a false dichotomy between the two, when in fact the issue of political violence is complex and multifaceted ^[1]. Additionally, some sources may have a bias towards highlighting violence from one side or the other, which could influence the interpretation of the data ^{[7] [6]}.

• Potential biases that could be influencing the analyses include:
• Confirmation bias, where sources selectively present data that confirms their pre-existing views ^{[7] [6]}
• Selection bias, where sources choose to highlight certain incidents or trends while ignoring others ^[1]
• Funding bias, where sources may be influenced by funding from organizations with a particular political agenda (not mentioned in the analyses) ^{[2] [5] [8]}