>political violence is a cornerstone of this country since day 1

The violence was tame compared to something like the French or Russian or Chinese Revolutions. For example, after the Continental Army and Minutemen surrounded the Brits at Saratoga (in New York State) in the first of the two great victories made by the American revolutionaries, the Brits were not killed or even made prisoners of war: many thousands of British soldiers were allowed to travel on foot through Massachusetts to Boston (which was firmly in the control of the Brits for the entire duration of the war) if they promised not to harass any Americans in their path and if they promised to stop participating in military action against the American colonies (i.e., to personally go back to England).

oh god shut up