Robert F. Kennedy was the United States Attorney General from 1961 to 1964. He served as the United States senator for the state of New York from 1965 to 1968. In 1968, Kennedy campaigned for the democratic nominee for the 1968 presidential election. Although Kennedy supported Israel in the Arab-Israeli war, Sirhan Sirhan was not justified to assassinate him, because Sirhan irrationally supported the Arabs and Kennedy was a promising presidential candidate. Robert F. Kennedy, brother to President John F. Kennedy, assassinated during his presidency, and husband to Ethel Skate and father to eleven children. In 1951, he graduated from the university of Virginia with a degree in law. Under president John F. …show more content…
Kennedy he was appointed as the United States attorney general. During his time as attorney general he worked towards the equality and fought crime. He strongly supported and helped the Civil Rights movement. On April 4, 1968, Kennedy gave his famous, "Remarks on the Assassination of Martin Luther King," speech to the Indianapolis ghettos. He spoke about uniting America. He spoke about how African American people had the right to be mad, but after show your anger learn to love Americans . He wanted a united country. As senator of New York he continued working for poor people and minorities. In 1968, he wanted to make an impact on the country, so he decided to campaign for presidency.
Kennedy was assassinated while campaigning for president on June 5, 1968.
Kennedy was giving a speech in the ambassador hotel in Los Angeles, California. He had just won the primary in California and he was celebrating with his supporters. On his way, out of the hotel he was shot four times. The convicted assassination was Sirhan Sirhan. He lived in New York and california. He attended college in California. At the time of Kennedy’s assassination he had be living in the United States for twelve years. Although Sirhan was born a Christian, and living in the United States during the six-day war, that Senator Kennedy supported. The Israelis captured Jerusalem in the Six Day war, which is most likely what made sirhan mad enough to kill. The jury convicted him as the assassination and he was sentenced to the death penalty, but due to the California law the sentence was changed to life in jail. He has tried to get parole 15 times. On the 15th parole hearing, Paul Schrade, who was walking with Kennedy when he was killed. Schrade was shot by Sirhan, but did not die. Schrade believed that someone else killed Kennedy, because Sirhan had an eight shot revolver, but their was nine shots fired. During the parole hearing Sirhan stated that he did not remember shooting Kennedy, and he felt no resentment for his
death.
Kennedy was shot on June 5, 1968 because it was the first anniversary for Israel's victory in the Six-Day war. The victory for Israel was a loss for Jerusalem. Jerusalem people were forced out of their home. Although, Sirhan irrationally supported his country there were reasons for him to be mad at the israelis. The Israelis were forcing Jerusalem families out of their homes. Sirhan most likely had a connection with his home country and did not like the thought of them being forced out of their homes. Kennedy openly support Israel. On the anniversary of Israel taking over Jerusalem and forcing the people out of their homes Sirhan wanted revenge, so he assassinated the man he felt caused the problem. Sirhan being a refugee himself probably felt pity for the refugees from Jerusalem that were forced out of Israel. Sirhan felt so strongly about the topic and felt so much hatred towards israel that he irrationally acted out and decided the best option was to assassinate Kennedy.
Some considered the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy as one of the first acts of middle eastern terrorism towards the United States, because the assassination was caused by Sirhan irrational support for his country. Although Kennedy supported the Israelis in the Arab-Israeli war assassinating him for because of his views is irrational. Kennedy was a presidential hopeful was killed before we could see what he could have done. He had big ideas for changing the social system and acceptance in the United States. Even if he had not one president he would have made an impact on the country, but because of his views and Sirhan’s views of him is life was cut short. The country lost a good man on June 5, 1968 due to an unjustified assassination.