The Narrative Arc

When Democracy Bleeds: The Minnesota Assassinations

The nightmare I wrote about this morning became reality while America slept

This morning, in the quiet hours before dawn broke over America, I wrote about senators fearing the state. I took you on a walk through Rome’s ancient Forum, recalling how Seneca was forced to die when he dared question Nero’s power. I traced the pattern from a marble-clad senate hall in Rome to a federal building in Los Angeles, where Senator Alex Padilla was handcuffed for asking questions just days ago.

I published that piece on Medium while you were still sleeping, never imagining that within hours, the pattern would complete itself with blood on American soil.

Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot multiple times at their home in Champlin and are fighting for their lives after surgery. Both Democrats were targeted by a gunman impersonating a police officer in what Gov. Tim Walz called “politically motivated assassinations.”

The suspect remains at large. All 201 Minnesota state lawmakers are now under protective custody. America has crossed a line we hoped we’d never see.