On July 13, there was an assassination attempt on a political candidate at a rally in Pennsylvania. According to BBC News, the candidate survived the attack but two bystanders were wounded and one was killed.
The attack is currently under investigation, but the shooter’s motive seems elusive and the political ideology of the shooter is unclear so far.
Assassination Attempts Rarely Succeed in Their Attempt to Cause Disruption
Assassination attempts, whether they are successful or not, are always a political act, regardless of the intentions of the perpetrator.
There are several definitions of assassination. But generally, assassination involves a plot to kill someone with political power or political influence.
Motive, however, is excluded in this particular definition. A perpetrator may have some control over the execution of the plot to kill an intended target, but lacks the ability to control anything in the aftermath.
Even if an assassin succeeds in killing a target, that often does not disrupt the political process that brings a replacement to power. The civil rights movement didn’t end with the killing of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., any more than the assassination of Abraham Lincoln didn’t destroy the Union.
Historically, assassinations that were part of a larger conspiracy and political coup may have succeeded in the short term, but they largely failed to have staying power. This situation isn’t always the case in every instance, but it is a prominent occurrence.
State-backed assassination attempts can have unintended consequences for the perpetrator as well. U.S. intelligence recently stated that there was an Iranian plot to kill former President Trump, according to NBC News. If such a plot was executed and traced back to Tehran, then Washington would retaliate in some form.
Targets Are Commonly Chosen Due to Their Position
It may seem strange to consider all assassination plots to be political acts when mental illness has played a role in some attempts on a leader’s life. One example is the attempt on President Reagan’s life by John Hinckley, who shot several people in an attempt to impress actress Jodi Foster.
While Hinckley’s motive may seem apolitical, bear in mind that Reagan was chosen as a target because of his position. If political stature didn’t matter, then Hinckley could have easily chosen a more accessible target who may have offered a better chance at success.
The same goes for Lee Harvey Oswald. He succeeded in killing John F. Kennedy, yet Johnson was sworn in as President within hours of the assassination. The death of the President was horrific, but it didn’t stop the government from operating.
Eternal Vigilance to Prevent Assassination Attempts Will Always Be Necessary
In U.S. history, assassinations have succeeded in killing the intended target, but the nation survived despite the intentions of the attack. So far, an assassin’s bullet has not destroyed our country, nor has it defeated the ballot box.
Unfortunately, that won’t stop future assassination attempts on the lives of political leaders. No matter how secure the system, eternal vigilance is still required.
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