In this episode of Sunshine Strategies Radio, Jen McMillin tackles a hard truth: speech is not neutral. Words can build trust and democracy, or they can fuel menace and violence.

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Jen reflects on America’s long, painful history of political violence—from leaders silenced for speaking truth to power, to figures who weaponized rhetoric until it consumed them. She asks: What if this really is who we’ve allowed ourselves to become?

This episode explores:

• Why political violence begins with words, not weapons

• The paradox of free speech in America—absolute in law, but dangerous in practice

• Lessons from other democracies that drew boundaries after violence nearly destroyed them

• Steps we can take as communities to reclaim trust and accountability

If democracy is to survive, it won’t survive on violence. It will survive on trust, boundaries, and a shared promise not to turn our words into weapons.