We have reached a point of great danger for our nation that threatens the expansion of violence and the engulfment of people of goodwill who do not now and have never wanted anything but the best for their fellow citizens.
Throughout history, when radical and violent people decide to ignite the fuel of grievance and anger, outright conflict has often broken out in societies.
It is at such a moment that leadership is most crucial, and we are at such a moment.
Because of that, we call on the president first, but all other leaders as well, to now set aside the language of incitement, blame and partisanship and instead loudly call for calm, peace and a reduction in tensions on the streets of the United States.
The president could begin by calling on his supporters to stop engaging with protesters against police violence. There is no justifying the most violent and destructive elements of protests across the country. Nor is there any good that can come from driving through such protests with the intention to provoke conflict.
The president has an opportunity to demonstrate the sway of his leadership over his supporters as well as his larger concern for the country. Instead of tweeting about law and order or calling out the Democrats who lead the cities where protests have gone on for months, he could use his bully pulpit to ask, at the very least, for those who follow him not to be part of the conflict.
At least three killings now can be traced to the intersection of protesters and counterprotesters in the country. There is no reason why these lives should have been lost. There is no justifying these deaths in the name of some other purpose.
If we engage in the game of who is to blame for how we got to this point, we will be trapped in the kind of impossible cycle that keeps human beings in perpetual conflict.
What is important now is that people step back and disengage from violence and destruction.
Every leader with a voice that those in the streets will hear must focus on that message. Violence will only beget more violence. The path to peace is through dialogue and genuine engagement.
Mr. President, make that your next tweet and hope the country will hear it.
