January 1, Think Tanks Skew Numbers on Political Violence

Wyatt’s Take

• Studies claim right-wing violence is worse than left-wing, but data is shaky.
• Some killings are labeled political when evidence is thin or missing.
• Conservatives are being blamed to quiet outrage after recent high-profile attacks.

There’s a new push from certain groups to paint right-wing Americans as the main source of political violence. Two recent studies are being used to back this up, but dig a little deeper and things get muddy fast.

One study groups all sorts of personal crimes and disputes—like fights between white nationalists or family violence—under “right-wing political violence.” Some of these cases had no political motivation at all. That’s a pretty quick way to jack up numbers and point fingers.

Another study, led by Alex Nowrasteh from a libertarian think tank, claims right-wing terrorists are more common than left-wing ones in the last decade. But even he admits, “Politically motivated violence is not a major problem and left-wing terrorists are not the worst.” That sounds a lot different than what folks are hearing on TV.

Nowrasteh counts 57 so-called terrorist killers from 2015 to 2025—27 labeled right-wing and 17 left-wing. Many killings included in this tally had clouded motives, mental illness, or were simply brutal acts of hate rather than organized politics. Some suspects suffered from PTSD, schizophrenia, or acted from personal grievances without any clear cause tied to ideology. Grouping these all together just muddies the waters.

It’s clear certain studies are stretching definitions to try and shift blame. Heartland Americans deserve honest facts—not stats twisted to fit an agenda.

If you’re tired of being fed half-truths about who’s really stirring up violence in this country, make sure you stay tuned right here.

Wyatt Matters

Folks in Middle America know there’s a big difference between ideology and personal evil. When studies start bending definitions to paint everyday Americans as dangerous, we all lose. It’s about truth—not politics.

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