How partisanship can breed anger and violence

Encouraging citizens to hate people of other political stripes could have devastating implications for democracy, according to an expert.

"Incivility has the ability to induce anger," Bryan Gervais, a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, told The House.

This week, several explosive packages were mailed to prominent Americans who have spoken out against the president — including Barack Obama, the Clintons, former vice-president Joe Biden and actor Robert DeNiro.

Snipes have been the bread and butter of politics long before President Donald Trump took power, but now Gervais says the age of social media means the influence is almost inescapable.

"It's everywhere, it's hard to avoid," he said.

"I think Donald Trump is just one symptom of a larger problem."

Though this rhetoric is particular present in the U.S., Gervais warned social media means no nation is immune to these issues.