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Darrell Long's avatar

This is what is taught in colleges and now in high schools across the country. A person who disagrees with you is an enemy that must be destroyed. I was a professor for nearly forty years and watched the evolution of this mindset. Usually, the enemy is on one side. Last night, I counted the number of presidential assassinations (and attempts) Republicans (7), Democrats (1) (two if you count the 1950 attack on Blair House).

We no longer teach Civics in high school, nor Western Civilization in college; we have replaced it with who is the victim (virtuous) and who is the oppressor (evil), and courses on violent revolution rather than finding what unites us. America is portrayed as not only flawed but also something that must be destroyed and replaced. This is in contrast to people of my generation, who saw America as something to be proud of and celebrated. It seems only the immigrants still hold a high opinion of America, while the students of its own schools are taught to hate it.

Terry Olsen's avatar

I think there’s an overlooked aspect of the hate directed towards President Trump. If someone hurts him, I’d predict an overwhelming use of force against leftists by the general public. I hope not.

LOLguy's avatar

"There was a time in American life when elected officials and journalists could gather in Washington and enjoy bad wine and banter without fear." When? The founders all knew that took their lives in their hands when they signed the Declaration of Independence. Alexander Hamilton was killed by a political rival, here is list of attempts and successful Presidential assassinations -- just tell me when it was safe to be a public figure in the United States? The United States and the world is at a crossroad for sure but not one we have not been at before. It is time to push forward and continue to resist the Marxist who seek change through violence. Counter to what the SPLC has been telling us for decades the enemy is two fold Muslim extremists and Left Wing dialogues who have been bread to believe that the Free Republic of the United States is evil and must be destroyed at all cost. Both groups openly call for our annihilation and it is time we took them at their word.

(A) U.S. presidents — successful assassinations and assassination attempts

Abraham Lincoln — shot April 14, 1865 (Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C.) — killed April 15, 1865. (successful assassination)

Andrew Jackson — assassination attempt January 30, 1835 (Washington, D.C.) — attacker Richard Lawrence fired two pistols that misfired; Jackson survived and was uninjured. (attempt failed)

James A. Garfield — shot July 2, 1881 (Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station, Washington, D.C.) — wounded; died September 19, 1881, of infections/complications. (successful assassination)

William McKinley — shot September 6, 1901 (Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, NY) — died September 14, 1901. (successful assassination) — note: 1901 is 20th century but included here because it is a presidential assassination.

Theodore Roosevelt — assassination attempt October 14, 1912 (Milwaukee, WI) — shot by John Schrank while campaigning; Roosevelt was wounded but completed his speech before seeking medical attention; survived. (attempt failed) — 1912 is 20th century.

Franklin D. Roosevelt — assassination attempt February 15, 1933 (Miami, FL, actually targeting Chicago mayor Anton Cermak in same attack; Giuseppe Zangara fired at FDR in Miami and wounded Cermak; FDR unharmed) — attempt failed. (20th century)

Harry S. Truman — assassination attempt November 1, 1950 (Attempt at Blair House, Washington, D.C.) — Puerto Rican nationalists Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo attacked; Torresola mortally wounded a guard; attempt failed. (20th century)

John F. Kennedy — shot November 22, 1963 (Dealey Plaza, Dallas, TX) — killed. (successful assassination)

Richard Nixon — assassination attempt February 22, 1974 (San Francisco) — Samuel Byck planned to hijack a plane to crash into White House; Byck shot himself after killing pilot; plan failed. (20th century)

Gerald Ford — two attempts in 1975:

September 5, 1975 (San Francisco) — Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme (Manson follower) attempted to shoot; gun did not fire; Ford unharmed.

September 22, 1975 (Sacramento) — Sara Jane Moore fired a shot that missed; bystander deflected her aim. (both attempts failed)

Ronald Reagan — assassination attempt March 30, 1981 (Washington, D.C.) — John Hinckley Jr. shot Reagan; Reagan wounded but survived. (attempt)

Barack Obama — multiple reported plots/foiled attempts (e.g., 2009 plot by Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad attempted, unsuccessful) and various threats; none successful. (21st century)

Donald Trump — assassination attempts and plots reported (e.g., 2023 plot in Iowa) — none successful. (21st century)

Other presidents have experienced threats, plots, or isolated attempts (e.g., attempts against Woodrow Wilson in 1916? — none successful).

Below is a concise, ordered list (name — date — role — location — outcome) of prominent 19th‑century U.S. political figures and activists (excluding presidents) who were assassinated or were the targets of assassination attempts. I include federal, state, and well‑known local figures and notable Reconstruction-era political killings.

Assassinated (killed)

- Philip Barton Key II — Feb 27, 1859 — U.S. District Attorney for D.C. — Washington/Baltimore area — shot dead by Daniel Sickles.

- David C. Broderick — Sept 16, 1859 — U.S. Senator (California) — near San Francisco, CA — killed in duel with David S. Terry.

- Abraham Lincoln’s assassination conspirators’ victim:

- William H. Seward (victim of attack, survived) — (see attempts list below).

- Elisha P. Ferry? — no (wrong).

- Robert K. Peace? — no.

(Reconstruction and mid/late‑19th century political murders — notable examples)

- John H. Reid? — (many local victims; representative examples below)

- Benjamin F. Randolph — Oct 16, 1868 — South Carolina state senator and Reconstruction leader — Abbeville, SC — assassinated (murdered by white supremacists).

- John W. Stephens — May 21, 1870 — North Carolina state senator (senator and Radical Republican organizer) — Hillsborough, NC — murdered (linked to Ku Klux Klan/Conservative backlash).

- Crispus Attucks? — not 19th century (skip).

- James H. Dillard? — no.

Notable assassinations of public officials, judges, or political figures

- Philip Barton Key II — (listed above).

- Washington Peace? — no.

Assassination attempts / attacks (survived or wounded)

- William H. Seward — Apr 14, 1865 — U.S. Secretary of State — Washington, D.C. — severely wounded in coordinated conspiracy that killed Lincoln (attacker Lewis Powell/Payne); survived.

- Charles Sumner — May 22, 1856 — U.S. Senator (Massachusetts) — U.S. Senate chamber, Washington, D.C. — brutally beaten (caned) by Rep. Preston Brooks; survived but incapacitated long-term.

- Andrew Jackson — Jan 30, 1835 — President (excluded per request) — attempted murder by Richard Lawrence; misfired — Jackson survived (listed for context only).

- Lewis Powell’s attack on Seward — same as Seward above.

- Daniel Sickles — (perpetrator of Key killing) — not a victim.

Other prominent political figures and activists murdered (mostly Reconstruction/19th‑century political violence)

- Benjamin F. Randolph — Oct 16, 1868 — state senator and Freedmen’s Bureau official — Abbeville, SC — assassinated.

- James H. Harris? — (numerous local Black officeholders were assassinated; examples on request).

- Fayetteville leaders and others — many unnamed victims of paramilitary violence (Red Shirts, Ku Klux Klan) across Southern states during Reconstruction.

High‑profile political killings that were not formal “assassinations” but politically motivated

- David S. Terry — involved in deadly incidents (killed in 1889) — former California Supreme Court chief justice who killed Gov. David Broderick’s assailant in duel context (Broderick was killed as above).

- Duel deaths (e.g., Broderick/Terry) often had political causes.

Notes and next step

- 19th‑century U.S. political violence—especially during Reconstruction—involved many state and local officeholders, Black leaders, and activists; records are extensive and many victims are local and less widely known.

- I can produce a complete, sourced table restricted to one of these scopes: (A) federal officeholders only, (B) federal + statewide officeholders (governors, state legislators, U.S. senators/representatives), or (C) include local Black officeholders and Reconstruction activists (comprehensive). Which scope do you want?

John Stolte's avatar

There are crazy people throughout the political spectrum for sure, but a lot of the actual violence sure seems to be coming from the pink pussy hat, blue hair, dinosaur costume wearing libs afflicted with TDS. And this is coming from someone who’s not really much of a fan of Trump.

Ray Fouts's avatar

Cole Thomas Allen is being controlled by a very dark side.

Bruce Hallett's avatar

Perhaps the political atmosphere would improve slightly if politicians on each side retired the verb “fight”. It’s their favorite promise to us all: they will “fight”. I’d rather they didn’t.

RDH's avatar
14mEdited

One correction to this article: Trump is not suing his critics. He is suing people and organizations that willfully slander him and publish outright lies about him. This is the reason he wins those suits.

Bill Darrow's avatar

A sad irony is that attackers and their Leftist admirers justify the violence as necessary to protect democracy. Democracy, distinguished by freedom of speech and the peaceful transfer of power by vote. Who is the real threat to democracy?

Stephen Schrader's avatar

The article is pretty fair and a good read. There is the fact that all the political violence is coming from the Left. I'd say "the Far Left" but there are no reasonable or moderate Lefties (save Fetterman). Where does it come from? Elected Federal, State & Local Dems echoed by their flaccid appendage, the MSM and governed by their overlords: The Ideologues of the International Left (Socialists, Communists, etc).

The Second Amendment protects the others, including the First. Let's not ever forget that.

The slow, twisting death of the MSM is out there for all to see. It's gonna take time before any real fairness asserts itself.

The damage done by Schumer, Obama, Rice, Brennan, et al may take 2 generations before we get to reasonable discourse.

Also, all the insane violence we have witnessed the last 10 years has "political" written all over it. It isn't just against politicians. Churches, synagogues, CEOs, schools, Minneapolis, Cartels, ODU, etc are all have a political bent in one form or another.

Democrats say they're for Humanity

They just hate Humans

Harris's avatar

Great article but should we be surprised at another attack on our president and our way of life. The news media and I will include entertainers, be it actors, talk show hosts, politicians etc. have encouraged and condone these actions. Their hatred of Trump exceeds all moral standards and attempts to nullify the votes of the 77 million people that the article identifies. Never in my 93 years have I witness such animosity and hatred for our president who has accomplished more in two years than the previous democratic administrations.

Paul stonkus's avatar

The entire United States and the US Constitution is under attack....as long as there's a regime in power that is focused on their own economic enrichment and doesn't care about US institutions, it will continue. As the old saying goes... It will continue until MORALE improves.

Hadley Ford's avatar

Your comment strikes me as the embodiment of the problem. That somehow only one side is the cause. As I am sure your mamma told you, it takes two to tussle

Kevin S's avatar

You may disagree with what's being done but that doesn't support your broad generalizations.

JM's avatar

I am not a fan of Trump on multiple levels, but I am much more not a fan of this divisive violence. I wish the president would handle many things differently, and at the same time, I do not wish him harm in any way. I appreciate that he has taken on Iran where others have empowered the sociopathic regime. Friends have said to me, "I wish it was someone I liked doing the work in the Middle East," and I respond that whether or not we like someone, we need to rise to the occasion to give credit where it's due rather than obsessing about our own egos and preconceived notions.

The "other" in today's world is an excuse to do harm. From the political right and the left. Concocting a notion of "justice" does not mean you are engaging in actual justice work. People need to stop making shit up to justify harm. It is simply wrong.

My heart goes out to everyone--regardless of political affiliation--who was traumatized last night. My hat goes off to the police, secret service and other brave security team members who prevented a far worse outcome. Brava and bravo!

Larry Warren Pierce's avatar

"...the entire American system of expression, elections, and debate is also built on a shared culture—on the assumption that the elected representatives of the people will never lack the power to speak freely. Today, that can no longer be taken for granted."

You know, this isn't a recent turn of events. The chasm in this society has been growing for many decades, and was manufactured by those - on both sides of the political isle - who want to change the way this country was Founded. On one side, there are those who live a delusion that life can be made "fair" for all the downtrodden by giving complete control to the government. And on the other side, there are those who think because they've created vast fortunes of one kind or another, they are "special" and should be making all the decisions for the "little people." And what is actually going on is one more fight for control in this world. It seems to be the nature of the world that many people think "control" will finally make them content. Which, of course, is balderdash.

This is a thoughtful piece by The Editors, which is not always the case. But they left out the attempted assassination of Bret Kavanaugh, a Supreme Court Justice. So that SCOTUS Justices now often have to wear body armor when they go out in public. Each of these attempts at murdering politicians and government officials seems to be the act of a single, crazed, individual. But it is actually like a cancer. An organized set of renegade cells which the body (politic) should be able to contain and eliminate in its infancy, if that body were healthy, with a coherent system in place. But this body was attacked many years ago and the attackers were mollified by well-meaning people in the beginning, and so the cancer grew. It has now produced a rotten core, which will require radical surgery to remove. Both sides have to participate.

Edge Donaghey's avatar

Will they just move on to another, immient threat to the world individual once Trump's term is over? Is this a teenager movement, that lies and says it is not about you its about me ... no, actually its about you. You're orange and poor arm candy in my circles. But the breakup is about me not you.

L42's avatar

The DNC is increasingly using terrorist radicalization and dark network funding methods for their party platform. It appears to be part of their strategy now. The Biden election and administration was one of the first main drives to execute it. Terrorism is the penultimate in intimidation that keeps a group in charge. Now that they are getting increasingly exposed, they will increasingly use these methods to maintain their hold on power. As with all terrorist, the best methods to eliminate them is to expose and eliminate their funding networks.

Betty McDonald's avatar

To the editors: thank you for staying up all night to write what needed to be said about last night and the real threats to our democracy in our 250th year.

"And the rockets' red glare

The bombs bursting in air

Gave proof through the night

That our flag was still there"