The Sarajevo Assassination: A Catalyst, Not an Excuse
The Great War and the Lessons of Political Violence
Don't Be Dismissive of Political Violence and Violent Rhetoric. Put An End To It. No More Waves of Terror. And Thank the United States Secret Service.
Most Americans are unaware of this statistic: nearly 10% of U.S. presidents have been assassinated. Thank you, Secret Service, for stopping an addition to the list. The Secret Service just protected all Americans from disaster.
Yesterday, Donald Trump apparently survived another assassination attempt. This time at his home and golf club in Florida, Mar-a-Lago. We know little at this time, but we know that the suspect was taken alive by law enforcement. It appears the suspect has expressed extreme pro-Ukraine war effort views and is alleged to have either helped recruit foreign fighters for Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion or to have fought himself, or at least claimed to help recruit for Ukraine. That’s where things get unclear as of early Monday, September 16, 2024. Republican candidate and former president Donald Trump’s position that Ukraine is not of vital interest to the United States appears to observers to be the obvious motivation for the wannabe assassin. The repercussions from Trump supporters and their feelings toward Ukraine and its war of self-defense against Russia may be significant.
Some unwise, no, some foolish voices have tried to downplay the incident or make light of the situation. That is the same mistake some have tried with the Sarajevo assassination of the Habsburg heir in 1914. These sorts of attacks are serious and cannot be waved away. Especially when they are tied to a foreign conflict and or taking sides in a geopolitical struggle.
