In the week since Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Pennsylvania politicians have been united in their condemnation of political violence. But opinions differ on the cause for the increase in violence.

Last Wednesday, post after post popped up online from Democrats and Republicans alike condemning political violence.

Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who is also vice chair of the National Democratic Party, highlighted how state groups of young Democrats and young Republicans were putting out joint statements, Kenyatta saying “this is who we have to be!”

Discourse has also increased about the role that political parties play in the increase of political violence.

State Sen. Greg Rothman, also the chair of Pennsylvania’s Republican Party, accused “the Left” of violent rhetoric in a social media post about Kirk last Wednesday.

In a speech at the 2025 Eradicate Hate Global Summit today, Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro says some politicians “cherry pick which instances of political violence to condemn.”

Shapiro focused much of his speech though on his own personal experience with political violence, referencing the arson attack his family survived back in April. He also spoke of looking for solutions as leaders. Shapiro referenced how young people engage online as one place leaders could focus efforts of change.

Shapiro said Pennsylvania’s Department of Education is working on a digital literacy toolkit.

"It also means making sure that our students, our young people, have the tools that they need when they're online to discern fact from fiction,” Shapiro said. "Not to teach young people to have a left wing view or right wing view, but to understand what's real and what's not and be able to form basis of their own opinions."