We have all had too much practice in this still-young century in determining what should and should not be said in the wake of political violence. We’re getting too good at this. One of the most popular and least objectionable responses has been to say that Americans need to “lower the temperature” in our political discourse. This is, of course, far better than the nakedly partisan calls for retribution and vengeance. Whether those people are sickened by grief and rage into a kind of temporary insanity, genuine lunatics, hustlers looking to milk a little more engagement or some combination of the three doesn’t really matter. The difference between stoking a civil war and pretending to stoke one is ultimately immaterial. The harm is the same, whatever the intention.

So, yes, lowering the t

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