In January 1998 John, Jacob and I visited the town of Canterbury, home to Canterbury Cathedral.
Image from Wikipedia because it was a damn good picture.
It is a a beautiful cathedral. But part of the fascination with it is it’s history — the fact that it was the site of the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Beckett at the behest of King Henry II. Sort of.
Reportedly, the King was famously infuriated with his former friend, the Archbishop for a number of transgressions, including excommunicating a bunch of English nobles. He famously uttered:
“Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?”
Being the King, folks took it as a command. Wikipedia names the four knights, Reginald fitzUrse, Hugh de Morville, William de Tracy and Richard le Breton, either carried out the king’s command, or misinterpreted the king’s intention. Either way, they assassinated Archbishop Thomas Beckett on the altar of Canterbury Cathedral.
Google Image
In case you are hiding under your bed trying to get away from news about the election, Trump opened his trap again today, and once again said something that should disqualify him for the presidency.
Today’s vomit from Trump can be heard here:
Yeah, I know you didn’t click on the link.
He said:
“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know.”
Now let’s see. Did Donald Trump just call for the assassination of Hillary Clinton? Or will one of his followers, you know, one of the disgruntled, racist, misogynistic white guys get out his gun(s) and do Donald’s bidding.
“Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?”/
“Who will rid me of this troublesome girl?”
Especially since, in spite of the fact that Trump’s campaign is tanking and he is hemorrhaging in the polls, and he’s claiming that the election, if he loses, will be rigged.
What could possibly go wrong.
FiftyFourandAHalf 
Love the way you tagged this.
LikeLike
Thanks, Ellen. That’s half the fun!
LikeLike
Your analogy with the assassination of Becket is perfect, Elyse. Well done.
I continue to suspect that the Orange Peril never actually thought he would win the nomination, much less the presidency. I think he is just a narcissistic sociopath who compulsively seeks attention.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Jim. A more recent example would have been Nettanyahoo/Rabin, but I couldn’t find one simple line that could have been interpreted as a call to murder. There were so many …
I agree with your other comments, too. And I’d bet that those stories that Trump family members scoped out potential VPs telling them they’d really have the job, are true.
How did we get here!
LikeLike
I can’t even think about it…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder if the Libertarians will beat the Republicans this fall? I think Trump is the best thing that ever happened to Gary Johnson.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Who knows. What a mess!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Trump people are saying that it was meant as a joke. But even if it was, someone close to him needs to explain to him that if you constantly have to follow up your jokes with clarification that it was a joke, you really suck at making jokes and should probably stop making them.
LikeLiked by 2 people
They might also mention all the bad guys out there with assault weapons, hate in their hearts, and time on their hands.
LikeLike
I’m also highly offended by people who say, “It was a joke — if you don’t think it’s funny, it’s because…” some fault with you. NOPE.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nope is right! First, it was no joke. Second, a president cannot joke like that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This whole thing is fucking horrifying. Sorry for my language.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s the only appropriate language these days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As dangerous and exhausting are the attempts to explain away what he ‘really’ meant. We all know what he really meant. We’re not stupid. Meanwhile, fresh emails reveal a sketchy relationship between the Clinton Foundation and business interests.
WE DESERVE BETTER.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t read much about the Clinton Foundation emails, but I did listen to the news about them. Frankly I am neither surprised, nor shocked nor upset about them.
Not because I have thrown my lot in with Hillary. But because I know Washington. That is what happens here. Folks with big money get access to power players just like they get tables at swanky restaurants. That doesn’t happen in NYC? Come on!
At least the Clinton Foundation is trying to work for are admirable — health, well being, anti-poverty. Of course folks interested in world health, and world-wide antipoverty programs are going to meet with folks in the State Department. Bill Gates does all the time on behalf of his foundation. There is nothing wrong or unethical. It’s just one more attempt to smear Hillary that will result in $$$ spent and find nothing wrong.
She will make a great president.
LikeLiked by 2 people
sigh…
LikeLiked by 1 person
More like scream, this time!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Trump is dangerous and his supporters are too blinded by their own emotional dysregulation and cognitive dissonance to see otherwise. He was dead on when he said “I could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and still have support.” Seems he understands his audience much better than we do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t that terrifying. Of course everything about the fact that this loose cannon is the GOP nominee for president is terrifying.
LikeLike
I couldn’t “Like” this, but I admire your connection here to Henry II and Thomas Becket. I’m surprised that one didn’t come to me, as well, although I suppose it’s because I imagine them as Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton. I was mesmerized by the movie Becket when I saw it on TV as a child. (I was precocious.) 🙂
But as to DT, I heard this yesterday and could not believe it. As much as he tries to spin it, he very much said exactly what it sounds like here. It is awful. I saw a twitter post last night saying the Secret Service was aware, so obviously they do not think it was a joke.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I loved that movie. I tried to work it in a bit more. But I’m shocked that you watched it as a kid with all that wenching!
I still can’t believe he went there so conspicuously. I thought he’d go there, but more subtly. But nope. Not the Orange Peril (Barb Taub’s moniker which I think I will co-opt)
Jeez.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I actually remember the “wenching,” so it must have made an impression. I don’t think my parents paid that much attention to what we watched–besides it was history and Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton! 🙂 “The Orange Peril” is a good moniker.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have spare rooms here in Scotland. But they’re going to fill up fast if the Orange Peril makes it in November…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Please put my name on one of them. I’ve co-opted your moniker — perfect!
LikeLiked by 1 person
how did he get this far!?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think this is the textbook example for what happens when politics becomes a spectator sport.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unbelievable. Trump that is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oops. I missed this comment Paul.
I don’t think an author or a screenwriter could come up with a character like Trump. Nobody would take him seriously as a character. Only as a cartoon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Surprise, surprise … I continue to ignore The Bloviator because he speaks to the ignorance within the masses. After all, he has 0% chance of getting my vote.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. But that might not be enough. He could still win in spite of the “Landslide” they are now suggesting for HC. Need to get you up on a soap box too.
LikeLike
Some in his own party are apparently muttering the same thing as that King…Let’s hope they figure out how to oust him in a legal way, although I think he is desperate and on his way to imploding – it’s those followers that I’m more afraid of now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, terrifying group of folks, they are. With guns. 😟
LikeLike
I keep expecting him to literally have a breakdown on stage somewhere. Just hope it’s before November and not after …
LikeLiked by 1 person
I tend to envision a grown man-child having the the most heinous tantrum the world has ever seen
LikeLiked by 1 person
I cannot fucking understand this.
Seriously, not joking or being glib. I honestly do not understand how he has such a pulpit and how every elevated figure that comes out in his defense can do that.
I know we have our share of racists, misogynists, who-can-i-blame-for-y-problems populations, but that trump has gotten a pass this long is in-fucking-comprehensible.
I feel genuine sorrow and terror for my country.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too Guap. Terrifying times we are living in. And he and his followers are just whipping up the malcontents.
How the hell did we end up here?
LikeLike
Saddest thing is we did it to ourselves.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not all of us.
LikeLiked by 1 person
All of this.
LikeLiked by 1 person