Assassins and American History

Assassins and American History

Debaters

• The Means to Commit Mass Murder

  Robert Dallek

• What Thomas Jefferson Would Say

  Jill Lepore

• Political Attacks, Circa 1800

  Steven F. Hayward

• The Facts About Political Assailants

  Steven Mintz

• The Cost of Thuggish Prattle

  Kevin Baker

• Toxic Speech in Politics

  Julian E. Zelizer

• Violence in the 1930's

  Catherine McNicol Stock

Left to right: Associated Press, Ira Schwartz/Associated Press and Mamta Popat/Arizona Daily Star via Associated PressLeft to right: Arthur H. Bremer, John Hinckley Jr. and Jared Loughner.

Does political speech lead to acts of political violence?

Since Jared Loughner shot Representative Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others at a Safeway in Tucson on Saturday, there has been a vigorous debate over whether partisan vitriol played a role in encouraging a mentally unbalanced young man to act.

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What does American history tell us about the relationship between violent acts and the political acrimony of the day?

 Read the Discussion »