Assassination attempts are not simply attacks on individuals.
They represent challenges to democracy itself. Each time violence erupts, the country is forced to confront the fragility of its political system and the dangers of allowing anger, extremism, or despair to escalate into bloodshed. They reveal the tension between freedom of expression and the darker impulses of those who use violence to silence, punish, or destabilize.
Yet, history also shows the resilience of American democracy. While violence has scarred its timeline, the nation has continually rebounded. Institutions endure, successors step forward, and moments of unity often follow tragedy.
