John McDevitt on Political Rhetoric and Violence

A sourced history of statements and actions associated with this topic.

Disputes over whether public rhetoric predicts, excuses, encourages, threatens, or contributes to violence.

Scope: This topic does not determine a speaker's intent or the effect of speech.

Condemned1Distinct events · August 14, 2026 — Selected filter; activate to remove.Defended or excused0Distinct events · No published events — Not selected; activate to add.Challenged the characterization0Distinct events · No published events — Not selected; activate to add.Minimized0Distinct events · No published events — Not selected; activate to add.Mixed or conditional0Distinct events · No published events — Not selected; activate to add.Explicitly stayed out0Distinct events · No published events — Not selected; activate to add.

Counts document individual events. They do not assign an overall position.

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Distinct documented events

Position history

1 event on this page. Dates: August 14, 2026

1 matching event. Dates: August 14, 2026

1 total published event. Dates: August 14, 2026

August 14, 2026Condemned
Addressed record
Should Zohran Mamdani attend New York City’s 9/11 memorial?
““We believe your presence at Ground Zero ... would cause deep pain.””
Speaker capacity
President of the Port Authority Retired Police Association
Editorial rationale
The association's letter explicitly opposed attendance and proposed alternative forms of remembrance.
Retired Port Authority officers tell Mamdani and Hochul to stay away from Ground Zero (opens in a new tab)John McDevitt’s August 14 letters and Michael LaRosa’s petition statement

Quotes letters from Port Authority Retired Police Association president John McDevitt and reports Michael LaRosa's warning that Mamdani would become a distraction.

View context Should Zohran Mamdani attend New York City’s 9/11 memorial?