Don’t Tell My Friends, But… is a seriesin which we asked Times columnistswhateveryone else is wrong about. And research showing big partisan divides over a wide range of issues, with political violence on the rise. However, there have been many periods in U.S. history when things were worse — and we could end up there again. To see how bad it could get, there’s no need to go all the way back to the Civil War. Studying the history of violent political division is the opposite of resignation or nihilism: It’s a hopeful call to action!

---

Persons: Martin Luther King Jr, King, Robert Kennedy, — Richard Nixon, Nixon, Max Noel, Bryan Burrough, Noel scoffs, ”, “, Antonio Gramsci, hasn’t Organizations: Capitol, Gallup, Democratic National Convention, Electoral, National Guard, Kent State, Democratic National Committee, Pentagon, U.S . Capitol, State Department, Wall, California Attorney General’s, downer Locations: Washington, Vietnam, Chicago, Cambodia, Ohio, California, United States, Italian