Voting Sanctions Violence

In violent times
You shouldn't have to sell your soul
In black and white
They really, really ought to know
--Tears for Fears

In lieu of recent events, Kim Strassel argues that people should not settle political differences with acts of violence. Instead, they should settle them at the ballot box.

These bombs threats are nasty and cowardly acts. We don’t settle disputes with violence—or with mobs. It is why we have a ballot box.

— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) October 24, 2018

She does not seem to understand that, in democratic elections, voting is a form of sanctioning violence. Voters become principals of violence when they elect strong armed government agents to force some to do the will of others.

Save for the rare instances where people vote to push government back toward its proper scope in a peaceful manner, voting constitutes pulling levers of aggression.