"Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?"

[Hugabear]

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/becket.htm

<snip>
Seeing the writing on the wall, Becket fled to France where he remained in exile for six years. The two former friends appeared to resolve their dispute in 1170 when King Henry and Becket met in Normandy. On November 30, Becket crossed the Channel returning to his post at Canterbury. Earlier, while in France, Becket had excomunicated the Bishops of London and Salisbury for their support of the king. Now, Becket remained steadfast in his refusal to absolve the bishops. This news threw King Henry (still in France) into a rage in which he was purported to shout: "What sluggards, what cowards have I brought up in my court, who care nothing for their allegiance to their lord. Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest."

The king's exact words have been lost to history but his outrage inspired four knights to sail to England to rid the realm of this annoying prelate. They arrived at Canterbury during the afternoon of December 29 and immediately searched for the Archbishop. Becket fled to the Cathedral where a service was in progress. The knights found him at the altar, drew their swords and began hacking at their victim finally splitting his skull.
<snip>


And now we have right-wing assholes decrying Obama as the "greatest threat to America", comparing him to Hitler, saying that he must be stopped at all costs.

[QC]

1. Just a few weeks ago I went to mass at the site where St. Thomas was martyred.

The cathedral has changed so little that even the heavy oak door at the site of the martyrdom is the same one that the knights entered in 1170.

It's an amazing place--words fail me on this one.

And I do agree that the fascist establishment in this country is trying to pull off the same trick now. It's ugly, and pointless, because they already own our government. There's no need for bloodshed, just a quick yank on the leash.

[omega minimo]

2. It's bad enough we have to think he is hobbled. These threats are beyond belief.

[QC]

3. Mere control is not enough for these people. n/t

[KatyMan]

13. Isn't Canterbury an awesome place?

We used to live up the road a bit from there (well, 30ish miles) and went fairly regularly. My favorite place in all England, methinks.

[QC]

23. It really is amazing, my favorite place in England. n/t

[RandomThoughts]

4. I have no idea what your quote is suppose to match.

First off people in any discussion are not royalty. People in government or arguing against policies are not priests or royalty. And when people start calling themselves lords it is just funny.

You have a part in bold, but not sure who you think should be rid of, who you think the knights are, or the prelate.

Anyway, what does your quote mean?

[Hugabear]

5. If you're not familiar with the story, click on my link in the OP

It's a historical anecdote, one that relates to what's going on today.

[RandomThoughts]

9. Could you explain it more, which sides do you mean.

In my interpretation the quads are not a problem, they have been handled. Although that's a metaphor also. (Although much of economics in the story my metaphor comes from I disagree with, the writers bias seeps in in many points. Unfortunately some non relevant biases are required to get through many publishing filters. They have a different feel so can be differentiated from other parts of the story.)

[Orsino]

18. When Big Money interests, today's royalty...

...run networks that whisper to us, "socialist," "Kenyan" and "terrorist" when referring to an upstart champion of high-minded principle, and they do it in order to enrich themselves, all the while denying that they are begging for an assassination, I think the comparison is apt.

[Hugabear]

19. Don't forget the whole "he is not a legitimate president" meme

n/t

[Orsino]

21. Yeah, that "Kenyan" thing.

While I don't really believe that the networks, or even Beck, are trying to motivate an assassin, I think they bear plenty of responsibility for the violence. This is a power struggle, and a politically-neutralized President Obama is worth more to them than a martyred one.

[Hugabear]

22. When Beck makes jokes about killing Nancy Pelosi, it's hard to tell

Sure, he says he doesn't want his followers to commit violence. But then he continues to demagogue Democrats, telling his listeners that they are the greatest threat the US has ever faced, jokes about killing them, etc.

[RandomThoughts]

27. Ok I get it, that is what I thought it might be.

But the metaphor is not accurate because your metaphor continues forward to something that has not happened. Like I said, in my belief the quads are stopped, so it will not happen.

That was the problem with the metaphor, it may be true that they are trying to stir up anger, but the rest of the metaphor does not fit.

[Orsino]

32. This is a cautionary tale more than it's a metaphor for anything that's happened yet.

I don't believe that Big Money really wants to drive a lone gunman to assassinate anybody. Their goal is to stir up enough hate to stop reform, and the creation of pro-reform martyrs would detract from their success.

They want political neutralization rather than blood. And they sure as hell don't care about the lives of those they incense; those folks are expendable, and could be useful martyrs in the cause of halting reform.

[Hekate]

6. It's a metaphor, dear.

:eyes:

[RandomThoughts]

8. I understand it is a metaphor, but it requires me to figure out what

each noun means, and in his metaphor I did not want to interpret his meaning and actually get my meaning, I was curious about his meaning. But I did not know his meaning since I did not find enough indication of his meaning in his post.

[H2O Man]

10. It's one of those things

that you either "get," or you just don't. In this case, the OP is exactly right, and right on target.

Perhaps in order to get it, you could try to apply it to Bill O'Reilly & Co.'s rants against specific doctors whom they call "baby murderers" on air. Think of what has happened to those doctors.

[Hugabear]

12. Or whenever a freeper type says Obama must be stopped

Even if the person saying it doesn't necessarily mean killing him, someone else might take it to mean just that and attempt to do it. The OP is a historical example of just that.

[Jackpine Radical]

17. Does the expression "Plausible deniability" mean anything to you?

The king never told anyone to kill Becket. He merely asked a question. Was it his fault if somebody misunderstood?

[H2O Man]

20. I can't recall.

I think Tim Russert told me once, but I cannot say for sure.

[Jackpine Radical]

26. In the case of Republicans, I think it's more like

deniable plausibility.

[gratuitous]

15. Someone in a position of authority makes an ambiguous comment

People who admire, respect, fear, or who are just ornery, interpret the comment to their liking, and go off and kill someone. Their excuse is they were just following orders of the authority figure. The authority figure can now say that he never really meant for anyone to kill anyone else, and other people who admire, respect, fear or who are just craven, stick up for the authority figure and say, "Yeah, Glenn Beck never actually told anyone to take a pot shot at the president; he just said the president was the greatest threat our nation has ever seen." And gullible folks will absolve the authority figure of all culpability, even though it's pretty obvious that by goading a suggestible group of the population something bad will almost surely happen.

[snot]

7. Rec'd: the most convincing so far of the

free-speech-calling-for-assassination-is-bad-posts.

Personally, I'd appreciate more clarity re- existing law on this point.

[DailyGrind51]

11. Talkshow words do become actions!

That Hutu talk-show host in "Hotel Rwanda" urging the extermination of "cock-a-roaches" (Tutsis), resulting in massacres of hundreds of thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus is evidence of the power of media over minds.

[yodermon]

14. There's a good fictionalized account of this in Pillars of the Earth

which I just finished reading, so your post is timely (for me anyway)

[malaise]

16. Profound Hugabear

K&R

[Odin2005]

24. K&R

[AuntPatsy]

25. Those who ignore this warning in all reality secretly wish for history to be repeated..

[TexasObserver]

28. He WAS a meddlesome priest.

I have no sympathies toward the Roman Catholic Church of medieval times, and their legions of vile, corrupt clergymen. More, not fewer, should have have put to the sword.


Yes, I get your suggestion of the implication for the right wingers who are basically calling for someone to stop Obama from doing the things he's doing.

[myrna minx]

29. You just gave me a chill.

:-(

[JuniperLea]

30. Damn that Obama for acting all Christ like and shit...

Wanting to heal the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the cold, shelter the homeless, and comfort the huddled masses...

What a dick.

Oh, wait... isn't that what we're supposed to do?

I must be confused. If not me, someone.

[Raven]

31. Perfect reference. Scarey, but right on.