# Why were the 60s The Golden Era of U.S. Assassinations (and why so few since)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 20, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880 "2007-09-20T17:00:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/1 "2007-09-20T17:00:09Z")
I’m not a conspiracy theorist, and I’m not saying that all of the assassinations of high profile controversial figures in the 60s were connected, but there would seem to be a reason that so many people did die by assassination then and yet it’s extremely rare now. Just going with the high profile assassinations for a 4.5 year period- November 22, 1963: John F. Kennedy November 24, 1963: Lee Harvey Oswald February 21, 1965: Malcolm X August 25, 1967: George Lincoln Rockwell (American Nazi party leader) April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King June 6, 1968: Robert F. Kennedy All have conspiracy theories and tangential connections of course. All were hated by J. Edgar Hoover. JFK died the same month as the Ngo brothers (Diem and Nhu) were killed in Vietnam. Etc. etc. While I doubt these are significant factors (though I also think it’s an odd coincidence so many were assassinated by “lone nuts” who kept diaries that pretty much read “I’m a lone nut- just me”). Since then there were the two unconnected she-assassins who went after Ford, the shooting of Reagan and of John Lennon, but generally there seem fewer actual attempts on the lives of public figures. Clinton and Farrakhan and Phelps and Bush are just three figures who have passionate detractors and haters, but none had major attempts on their lives. Do you think the difference in then and now is the mindset of the 60s? Or the fact the 60s was so close to WW2? Or better security now? J. Edgar Hoover’s death (the month Wallace was shot)? Just a fluke? The Information Explosion? Probably more IMHO, but I’ll put it here. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/2 "2007-09-20T17:27:08Z")
Well, at least in the JFK case, security on the President is much stricter now - no open car motorcades, etc. I’m sure it’s much harder to shoot a President now than it was in 1963. No answer to the rest, though. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/3 "2007-09-20T17:47:51Z")
Probably, and most certainly better security. Don’t forget, there was also a foiled attempt on Ford in the 70s, and Reagan was shot in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/4 "2007-09-20T17:50:27Z")
I think a big answer is that there isn’t as much important political activism going on. The 60’s were a time for major changes in this country, and so it seems natural (to me) that the leaders of these big new movements would be subject to assassination attempts. Of course we have political activism now, but it just isn’t as influential. I mean, look at the peace movement. Why assassinate Cindy Sheehan? She damages the cause by _staying alive_. Same with Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton in the civil rights movement. What I mean is, there are less attempts because there are less targets. ETA: This might make a good GD too, “What caused the 60’s to be such a time of political turmoil in the US” Maybe I will write it after lunch… ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/5 "2007-09-20T17:58:59Z")
It was S.O.P. for the CIA until all those accountability wussies showed up. Next thing you know, there’s paper trails, constant scrutiny from the godless communist media and now they’re just a bunch of desk jockeys, as opposed to the real men who went out and killed whomever they didn’t like. [/some vitriolic old spook] ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/6 "2007-09-20T18:01:27Z")
It’s because we just don’t **care** any more! What’s happened to us, man?! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/7 "2007-09-20T18:02:23Z")
Presidential assassination attempts or genuine attempts are much more common than people believe even if they had a brief news report on it before. All presidents since Kennedy (except for Lyndon Johnson :dubious: ) have undegone assassination attempts although some of them were attempted by people that just weren’t quite right and hence not very threatening to the president’s wellbeing. Saddam Hussein tried to assasinate Bush senior while Bush Jr. had a real grenade thrown at his podium in the Republic of Georgia and it didn’t detonate because of malfunction. I have a friend (if you can call him that because he is so screwed up) that was the son of his SS Agent father on presidential detail. He HATES his father because of the life that the whole family had to lead because of it. His father would get a meesage in the middle of the night and rush out without saying anything or when he would be back. He says it happens all the time. Apparently SS agents on presidential detail are a special breed and hyper-paranoid because their own career and life is on the line as well. The security is vastly better but there are still plenty of people that want to try. > **[List of United States presidential assassination attempts and plots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Presidential_assassination_attempts)** > > Assassination attempts and plots on the president of the United States have been numerous, ranging from the early 19th century to the 2010s. On January 30, 1835, Andrew Jackson was the first president to experience an assassination attempt when Richard Lawrence twice tried to shoot the seventh president in the East Portico of the Capitol after Jackson left a funeral held in the House of Representatives Chamber. The attempt failed when both of Lawrence's pistols allegedly misfired. > Four sittin... ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/8 "2007-09-20T18:36:50Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] Saddam Hussein tried to assasinate Bush senior… [/QUOTE] So it is claimed, based on dubious evidence and confessions likely extracted\ under torture, and supported by no actual links to the Saddam regime. ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/9 "2007-09-20T19:00:43Z")
Sorry, couldn’t help but think of this. > [@](#): > > This sucks. Come on, snipers, where are you! > – Bart watches a feeble football halftime show, ``Lisa the Greek’’ ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/10 "2007-09-20T19:09:26Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] Don’t forget, there was also a foiled attempt on Ford in the 70s [/QUOTE] Two … there were _two_ assassination attempts on Gerald Ford (the mind boggles!). Sarah Jane Moore and Squeaky Fromme. Squeaky! _Two_ separate people tried to kill _Ford_ and one of them was called “Squeaky”! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/11 "2007-09-20T19:31:43Z")
I cannot image trying to kill Ford once, never mind twice. Of course, both of the women (!) had been famous (or infamous) in the past, and were trying to recapture that (in)famity. Presidential security is tighter, so it’s harder to do successfully. The last successful attempt was Kennedy in 1963. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/12 "2007-09-20T20:40:27Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] February 21, 1965: Malcolm X [/QUOTE] Couldn’t help but think of [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Conference_of_Christians_and_Jews#Events): > [@](#): > > The assassination of Malcolm X on the first day of National Brotherhood Week in 1965 inspired the Tom Lehrer song “National Brotherhood Week,” satirizing race relations in the United States. This [YouTube of the song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6RbfaoX5Hw) blessedly includes the intro, which mentions that event. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/13 "2007-09-20T21:09:08Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] Two … there were _two_ assassination attempts on Gerald Ford (the mind boggles!). Sarah Jane Moore and Squeaky Fromme. Squeaky! _Two_ separate people tried to kill _Ford_ and one of them was called “Squeaky”! [/QUOTE] For some reason, I read this post in the voice of the Count, from Seasame Street. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/14 "2007-09-20T21:40:27Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] Clinton and Farrakhan and Phelps and Bush are just three figures who have passionate detractors and haters, but none had major attempts on their lives. [/QUOTE] Or four. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/15 "2007-09-20T21:51:01Z")
A small-town political assassin, from Tennessee, of recent years. > **[Byron Looper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Looper)** > > Byron (Low Tax) Looper (born Byron Anthony Looper; September 15, 1964 – June 26, 2013) was a Democratic turned Republican politician in Tennessee and convicted murderer. In order to advance his political career, he legally changed his middle name from "Anthony" to "(Low Tax)", including the parentheses. After being convicted for the October 1998 murder of his election opponent, incumbent Tennessee State Senator Tommy Burks, he was given a life sentence in prison. He died in prison in 2013. > Byron... ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/16 "2007-09-20T22:55:36Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Presidential security is tighter, so it’s harder to do successfully. [/QUOTE] So it is. In fact, I find myself honestly, sincerely wondering if somebody from the FBI or Secret Service is monitoring this thread. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/17 "2007-09-20T23:28:27Z")
Well, Bush is safe I think. Anyone who might want him dead takes one look at Cheney… and decides it’s better to let him live. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/18 "2007-09-20T23:47:16Z")
Don’t know if I should add these, since you’ve framed a great thread question already, but there’s also: 1. Medgar Evers, a civil rights worker in Mississippi, assassinated in June 1963; 2. Denise McNair, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Addie Mae Collins, aged 11 to 14, in the Birmingham, September 1963 Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing – definitely political in its motivations and implications; 3. Ben Chester White, a black plantation caretaker – tangentially political because it’s purpose was to lure MLK to Mississippi to be killed in 1966. These make 1963 look even worse. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/19 "2007-09-20T23:53:18Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] Two … there were _two_ assassination attempts on Gerald Ford (the mind boggles!). Sarah Jane Moore and Squeaky Fromme. Squeaky! _Two_ separate people tried to kill _Ford_ and one of them was called “Squeaky”! [/QUOTE] Nelson Rockefeller was V.P. The two attempts were orchestrated by his brother Davids Trilateral Commission. I better put a 😃 here. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/20 "2007-09-21T00:30:06Z")
[QUOTE=miss elizabeth] Well, Bush is safe I think. Anyone who might want him dead takes one look at Cheney… and decides it’s better to let him live. [/QUOTE] But what protects Cheney? 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880.md?page=2)