Bomb Threats at the Kennedy Center: Cultural Attacks Are Political Weapons—And History Keeps Repeating Itself

By Alexandria J. Maloney?

This morning, as I participated in a Read-Aloud Day for Black History Month at an elementary school, I received troubling news: the Kennedy Center had just been targeted by a bomb threat. The event in question? An Asian culture program that I and over 25 other organizations are engaged in.

It was a jarring moment, one that—though nowhere near as severe—reminded me of the infamous scene where President George W. Bush received the news of the 9/11 attacks while reading to schoolchildren. My immediate thought wasn’t about the logistics of the event or the security protocols—it was about the children in front of me.

What kind of world are we building for the next generation? A world of peace and hope—or one of fear and chaos?

Culture as a Battleground

Throughout history, political attacks have targeted cultural and social symbols because they trigger strong emotions, reinforce identity, and simplify complex issues. These tactics are used to divide, mobilize, and distract.

During the Civil Rights Movement, battles over statues, historical narratives, and public spaces were central to shaping public opinion. Efforts to rename streets and buildings after civil rights leaders were met with fierce resistance, as opponents fought to maintain the old power structures. Schools and libraries were battlegrounds, with books by authors banned and education policies manipulated to downplay systemic racism.

And yet, we still see this today.

When an event celebrating culture is threatened with violence, it is more than just an isolated act—it is part of a broader pattern of using cultural fear as a political weapon. We saw it with the targeting of Black churches and civil rights activists in the 1960s. We saw it when Chicano murals were defaced because they uplifted Indigenous and working-class histories. We saw it when anti-Asian hate crimes surged amid rhetoric blaming entire communities for global crises.

The playbook hasn’t changed—only the targets.

A Crossroads for the Future

These attacks are not random. They are meant to silence, intimidate, and erase. But just as previous generations resisted cultural suppression, so must we.

The real question is: Will we allow fear and intimidation to define our era? Or will we build a society where cultural expression is celebrated, diversity is embraced, and the past is confronted with honesty?

History is not just about the past—it is about who controls the future. If we want that future to be one of peace and hope rather than division and fear, we must refuse to let cultural attacks dictate the narrative.

The next generation is watching. What will we show them?