Editorial | Attempt to kill Trump a terrible echo of past
- Wounding of former president in a polarised United States awash with guns must be seen as a sign to heal bitter political divisions

America’s shameful history of political violence dates back two centuries. Four presidents have been assassinated and two candidates, Theodore Roosevelt and Robert F. Kennedy, were also shot while campaigning, the latter dying of his wounds after winning the California Democratic primary in 1968.
Even so, it had been a long while since an attempt last wounded a candidate or president, when Ronald Reagan survived after being shot in 1981.
As time passed, perhaps an illusion of invulnerability grew to surround presidents and hopefuls. Sadly, it was just that, an illusion.
It was deeply disturbing to watch history repeating itself with the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump by a 20-year-old man with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Thankfully, Trump escaped death, bloodied by a bullet that struck an ear. But one spectator was killed and two critically injured. The attacker also was killed.
Both Trump and President Joe Biden have rightly appealed for calm and for Americans to come together. Trump said it “is more important than ever that we stand united and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined”.