But the idea that violence (covert or overt) is never effective as a means of enacting change is flat out wrong.

Ok, violence is rarely effective at enacting desired change. Look at how many times the US has overthrown dictators just to get someone worse in power. Look at failed revolutions that resulted in authoritarians in charge. Look at Islamic extremism’s results creating even more violence. Look at the complete lack of changes since Luigi Mangione took matters into his own hands.

Targeted violence just doesn’t have a good track record for solving problems. It just creates a vacuum, and that vacuum is frequently filled by something even worse.

So yeah, maybe it’s occasionally effective, but that is very much the exception rather than the rule.