Political violence in the United States is more rare than most Australians may imagine, but it tends to stay alive, a dark heart beating just out of sight. The attempted assassination of Donald Trump on the weekend saw it burst to the surface yet again.

These acts are horrifying in their scope. They are attacks not just on one candidate, but the entire political system. That system, of course, is based on the right of the citizenry to choose the leader it wishes. If you don’t like a particular candidate, the American thing to do is to devote your energies to electing someone else. To act otherwise is sad and........

© The Sydney Morning Herald