Rhetoric or threat?

As political rhetoric becomes heated, law enforcement officials are eyeing social media to detect threats or potential violence.

Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told USA Today: “Historically, it’s the same issues we’ve always had and the same things people are upset about. There are just a lot more venues for people to put it out there, including the Internet.”

The agency set up an Internet threat desk in 2000.

Angry rhetoric is nothing new in American politics, but the Internet has added another element: people are able to convey their views, or insults, to millions of people while remaining anonymous.

The Secret Service assesses every potential threat and acts if they judge it to be substantial and dangerous. They recently investigated a case in Arizona.

Incivility is rampant, but threats and physical violence are rare — thankfully.