It was a very narrow miss, not just for Donald Trump, but the United States of America. Had the assassination attempt on the former President succeeded, it could have proved a major disaster in that presently highly divided nation, as the far right that constitutes Trump’s support is numerous and well-armed. That Trump escaped with just a scratch on his ear seems to have woken the nation up to some sense of decency as, presently, everybody is appealing for calm and sobriety.
It will also help that Trump will emerge as an even greater hero for his supporters. They will have another reason to celebrate his presence in the political arena, and hopefully not react with the kind of violence witnessed on Capitol Hill.
It is quite an embarrassment for the US security agencies that an obvious site just five hundred yards away for a sniper attack was not ‘sanitised’. The response was slightly better in that the threat was immediately neutralised by ‘counter-snipers’. Unfortunately, this was after one person had already died and others seriously injured. Had it been India, such a gaffe would have led the opposition to allege it was done deliberately.
Unfortunately, democracies across the world face this threat because of the need for leaders to be in close interaction with the public. In just the last year alone, there have been numerous assassinations of national leaders for this reason. Autocracies and dictatorships can afford to keep the leaders distanced from their people. India, of course, has faced the problem from Independence, itself, with disastrous consequences for communities associated with the assassins. Although assassinations are carried out by individuals, they are generally influenced by political or religious ideologies. In the present day, the spread of social media has meant that psychologically unstable persons can be also motivated by all kinds of radical ideologies and over the top cults. In a country like the US, where it is easier to buy a gun than get a driving licence, this new threat can take a disproportionate dimension.
Assassinations have, through history, played a major role in shaping the direction taken by society. These have sparked numerous wars, the most striking example being the killing of the Archduke of Austria that set off World War 1. Or, have led to change in the political structure, as happened following the killing of his family by the Crown Prince of Nepal. Trump’s new status as a ‘survivor’ will also influence politics – it remains to be seen to what extent.
