Assassination Quote by Caitlín R. Kiernan
“Assassination is almost always unthinkable to moral, thinking men until after a holocaust has come and gone.”
About This Quote
Moral individuals often cannot conceive of assassination until after a tragedy, highlighting cognitive dissonance about extreme acts.
In simple terms: Moral denial before catastrophe.
Key Takeaway
Recognize moral blind spots early.
Themes
ethics
cognitive dissonance
violence
Mood
critical
somber
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- historical analysis
- media coverage
- education curricula
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- Why is it hard to imagine extreme wrongdoing?
- What can societies do to anticipate moral failures?
A Different Perspective
Denial may hinder prevention efforts.
![“We know from Talmadge Hayer, one of the men who carried out the assassination, who was shot by Ruben X as he tried to flee the Audubon after shooting Malcolm X, we know that Hayer confessed years later to his Imam in prison that there had been a walk-through a week prior to February 21st [1965] at…” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/645/manning-marable-9023_assassination_we-know-from-talmadge-hayer-one-of-the-m_101701.jpg)
![“We have the ability to take him [President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez] out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job…” quote by Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/194/pat-robertson-1972_ability_we-have-the-ability-to-take-him-presiden_23256.jpg)
