Who's to say he didn't just want to die and take someone important out with him. In the mental state he was in at the time, he may not have even cared about politics.
He did it... for Johnny. This is like that movie Citizen Kane where you later find out Rosemary was a sled, but we'll never find out who Johnny is, cause, like, he's dead.
Context It's quite prescient because he did indeed catch the bullet right in the ear.
Hopefully he wrote something down somewhere that gives us an idea to his motivation, but you're absolutely right. We may never know. From the little bit that has come out about the shooter, it sure seems likely to be a typical case of a young man feeling isolated and angry at society. I'm certainly not convinced that politics had anything to do with it at this point.
Why do people keep labeling him as mentally ill? He was the only legit patriotic hero I have seen in my current short life.
Do you also call all your ancestors who were convinced of killing a bunch of spaniards in 4th of july to give you the freedom you currently enjoy, "mentally ill"? That'd be pathetic
Spain supported the colonies in the American Revolution. They were at war with Britain in Europe at the time and they provided money and supplies to the colonies as well as attacking several British positions along the Mississippi River and ramping up the European War. The Fourth of July holiday doesn't even mark a battle, it marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the war had been being fought for over a year at that point.