Thursday, December 12, 2024

Remembering The Age Of Anarchy

The shooting to death of the CEO of United Healthcare, in Manhattan, is reminiscent of the widespread anarchy of a century ago. The most momentous event of that era is the Wall Street Bombing, on September 16, 1920.

A massive bomb was on a cart that was being pulled by a horse. Metal weights had been placed on the bomb to act as shrapnel. The bomb exploded on the crowded street that represented capitalism, and forty people were killed. The bombing has never been solved. 

Not far from here, U.S. President William McKinley was assassinated in a way very similar to that of the recent shooting in Manhattan. He was shot twice by an anarchist at Buffalo's Pan American Exhibition, on September 6, 1901. The marker, in the following image from Google Street View, shows where the assassination took place. 

In 1933 there was the assassination attempt on president-elect Franklin Roosevelt, by Giuseppe Zangara, who lambasted crooked capitalists. Chicago mayor Anton Cermak was killed. 

The recent shooting actually had plenty of historical precedent.

No comments:

Post a Comment