Do you have to be a CEO to be considered "assassinated" when you are shot in the street

[Jack Valentino]

by a gunman who is still at large, and whose motives at this point
are only a matter of internet speculation ??



Apparently so--- since numerous other people have been shot dead in the street
within the same time-frame--- and there appears to be no such labeling of their deaths as
an 'assassination'


Maybe you have to be considered in some context 'important'
before your murder can be labeled as an 'assassination' ?


I'm pretty sure that each individual whose life was ended
probably would consider the act to be an 'assassination'--
from their personal point of view....


So he was a CEO of a healthcare company---
but the vast majority of the US or any other country
never heard of him before he was gunned down in the street


ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

He probably was in favor of the weak gun laws which may have helped to bring about his demise.

[MichMan]

1. Why then does a mass shooting of a few get way more attention on DU than the dozens killed daily one by one ?

Their families grieve just as much

[Jack Valentino]

3. Your observation tends to support my post.

There are so many, so why does this guy deserve any more attention than the dozens of other individuals ?


Yeah, I guess there haven't been too many 'mass shootings' since this guy was gunned down,
or his 'news cycle' would be over by now...

[dpibel]

7. So a CEO is a mass shooting?

Your logic, to the extent it is observable, is that giving attention to, say, seven victims instead of 42 is the same as giving vast attention to one of 42.

That is some impeccable logic!

[elleng]

2. assasinated definition:

murdered (an important person) in a surprise attack for political or religious reasons.
"the organization's leader had been assassinated four months before the coup"

[Sneederbunk]

4. It will be a tough stand-your-ground defense

although many here appear ready to contribute to a gofundme for the shooter.

[Jack Valentino]

5. I will be "keeping my GO-FUND-ME powder dry" in favor of

some imaginary (at this point) future shooter.....

[dpibel]

6. Special people only, for sure

Well said.

It is hard for me to comprehend why we are compelled to care about this particular one of many murders on that day.

A singularly odd shiny object.

But so effective. Even on this site, it's strewn much scolding and fighting.

[Jack Valentino]

8. .... when it may have been nothing more than a 'random act'...

People get "shot for NOTHING" every goddamn day in this country,
since we seem to want to arm every possible person with a gun,
and Republicans oppose prohibiting even mentally ill people from carrying without any license


Maybe the shooter didn't like the way that the victim 'held his mouth'--- !

[El-Capitan]

9. I'd much rather be assassinated than murdered or just plain killed.

It would make for a much better eulogy and epitaph.

[Jack Valentino]

18. Me too !

And held in the arms of a loving wife as I died.

(I'll have to work on that part)

[Meowmee]

10. It could be anyone

But it is usually a political figure or a prominent person.

[Jack Valentino]

14. Agreed--- that an "assassination" usually only refers to a politician

or in fewer instances to a religious personality.



This guy was neither-- merely a rabid capitalist.

[Sparkly]

11. Good question!

Who decides who is important enough that their murder was an assassination?

There are layers of hierarchy in urban "gangs" -- economies unto themselves, unfortunately -- where murders are assassinations, but not enough is known AND/OR told to explain people's positions. It's just, "who cares."

Who decides who gets that term, vs. just "a shooting?" I'm interested in the sense of the language used.

[H2O Man]

12. Yes.

The definition of assassination involves the sudden or secret murder of someone of high social standing. Thus, if everyone murdered in a similar way would think it an assassination, they would be incorrect.

On the other hand, in reference to the point I speculate you are trying to make, it is a measure of our social reality that this case is considered more important because the victim was paid ten million dollars per year. Yet there is evidence the gunman was intent upon sending a similar, though violent, statement.

[onenote]

13. Apparently the OP author doesn't know the definition of "assassination"

Oxford English Dictionary:
Assassination:
The murder of a person (esp. a prominent public figure) in a planned attack, typically with a political or ideological motive, sometimes carried out by a hired or professional killer; a murderous attack of this kind.

Suggesting that any murder can be considered an "assassination" drains the term of any meaning and, frankly, is nonsensical.

[Jack Valentino]

15. Thank you for your opinion, and your definition.

By the definition you supplied, I don't consider this victim to be a "prominent public figure".


Nor did I suggest that every killing should be considered an "assassination"---
(except from the presumed point-of-view of the victim themselves)

I only asked why this one should be, as opposed to the majority of such shootings in the street.

And, at this point, without a documented motive, this killing does not meet that standard either.

I will happily try to retain your opinion about what is 'nonsensical'.
What is your name, again ?

[onenote]

21. Not "my" definition. The Oxford English Dictionary's definition. In other words, the accepted definition.

But its interesting that you think that this might just have been a random street shooting. Just some guy stalking a specific target and shooting him with bullets with messages written on them. That's why it's not like a majority of street shootings. Why its not like a robbery. Or a gang shooting. Or a random murder.

But you probably know that.

[misanthrope]

27. Tim McVeigh killed people for an ideological motive

Were they all assassinated? Not important enough?

[Jack Valentino]

20. Although I'll give you "negative points" for questioning my intelligence---

Nice work, "onenote"! I may remember it, if you are fortunate, or if I care enough!


"and, frankly, is nonsensical"


Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffttttttttt.

[onenote]

23. Doubling down. Got it.

[Sneederbunk]

16. John Lennon was assassinated.

[Jack Valentino]

17. I would not disagree with that.

I kept a poster of him on my wall, after he was killed, as a prominent example of gun violence.

Then again, he was a very well-known (and beloved) person the world over,
as opposed to this particular CEO...

I hereby modify my position about "politicians and preachers" to add 'celebrities'--

although the motives for such are less clear, often hate cannot be explained

Luckily, celebrities have much less often been victims of such,
although they are often threatened....

[PXR-5]

19. Reminds me of

a car accident in Charlotte years ago that killed both a doctor and a house painter.
The news kept reporting about the doctor, and barely mentioning the painter.

[Jack Valentino]

22. They were BOTH artists, within their own realms....

Probably the house-painter had less skills in saving someone's life---

but the doctor probably couldn't paint a house for shit


Which one of them did more to make other people happy
is completely open to question......!

[multigraincracker]

25. Time will tell. I'm waiting on the facts we don't have yet.

[BWdem4life]

26. Having read through this thread including definitions put forth

I'd say that before the murder he was not "important" or "prominent", but the murder turned him into an "important" and "prominent" person after the fact, due to speculation as to the reason for the murder (especially considering messages on the bullets). Not sure if the suspected reason could be considered "political" per se, but... I think the main reason they're using the word "assassination" is that it sensationalizes the story, thereby getting more eyeballs and increasing profits - which is of course what the media is all about. Money. So, I'd agree with you that the term is over-the-top here, not necessarily warranted, but on the other hand not completely unwarranted either given his new prominence now (not completely due to the media's sensationalism).

[GreatGazoo]

28. Lying in wait + $6000 gun with integrated suppressor + got away + 5 other factors

Traditionally the term "assassin" is certain type of killer, eg the term is more tied to the killer than the victim. Etymologies claim the word is derived from 'hashish' and was introduced into Western languages and concepts by Marco Polo.

Looking at JFK, most sources will say that JFK was assassinated but the same killer (*cough*), 30 minutes later "murders" Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit. The differences in the two killings being that the first was high profile and political while the second is allegedly not pre-targeted and not political.

The more we learn about this killing the more it looks like this was professional. The gun is extremely rare and expensive -- a B&K Station Six -- which evolved from a WW2 era gun designed to kill quietly, at close range with a single shot. The TV "experts" were talking Thursday about how the "gun malfunctioned" as allegedly evidenced by the shooter manually ejecting each round. We know now that the gun is designed so that the user picks the timing for the shell to eject.

The shooter escaped Manhattan within 60 minutes of the murder and might never be identified or found.

Calm killer + professional behavior + escaped + target was powerful person = assassin

Absurdly quiet

[ColinC]

29. He made his motives clear with the words on the shell casings

[Mountainguy]

30. Of course it was

an assassination is generally accepted as the targeted killing of a prominent person for a reason related to their prominence. This doesn't include reasons such as personal issues between the killer and victim.

He was the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world and killed in a targeted way because of his position in that company.

100% assassination.

Is someone murdered in the street an assassination? Depends.

[republianmushroom]

31. No, but it sure helps.