Character assassination Quote by Malcolm Shabazz
““The formula for a public assassination is: the character assassination before the physical assassination; so one has to be made killable before the eyes of the public in order for their eventual murder to then be deemed justifiable. And when the time arrives for these hits to be carried out, you’re not going to see a C.I.A. agent with a suit & tie, and a badge that says "C.I.A." walk up to someone, and pull the trigger. What they will do is out-source to local police departments in the region of their target, and to employ those that look like the target of interest to infiltrate the workings in order to set up the environment for the eventual assassination (character, physical/incarceration, exile) to take place.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Podcast “The Dark Side of Power”, 2023
Public figures are first destroyed through reputation attacks, making violent removal seem justified; the actual killing is then carried out by proxies rather than obvious agents.
In simple terms: Destroy reputation first, then kill.
Key Takeaway
Target reputation before action.
Themes
politics
media
violence
propaganda
Mood
cautious
critical
analytical
Type
political
warning
analytical
When to use this quote
- election campaigns
- whistleblower protection
- corporate scandals
- activist safety
Key Concepts
character assassination
statecraft
proxy warfare
Questions to Reflect On
- How does media framing influence public acceptance of violence?
- What safeguards can protect individuals from coordinated reputation attacks?
A Different Perspective
Such tactics can backfire, creating martyrdom and public backlash.
![“The campaign of character assassination waged [against President Clinton] by the right was a singular, unprecedented effort. Nothing like it exists on the left. What I object to on the right is the obsessive hatred, the bigotry, and the personal savaging of their opponents, all achieved through an…” quote by David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f80/david-brock-7746_analog_the-campaign-of-character-assassination_911585.jpg)
