The level of political violence in the USA well justifies the steps it takes to protect its leaders. Lets not forget that it is not just sitting politicians who are murdered for political reasons. It is one of the tragedies of the place.
The curse of Revolution? John Adams to MLK's killer to Timothy McVeigh to ......
Doesn't explain the relative lack of assassinations in France, whose Revolution was much bloodier than the Americans, and which actually killed a king.
The only C20 attempt to kill a French leader that I can think of was the plot by the pro-imperialist officers to take out De Gaulle over Algeria, which contrary to the movie involved only one attempt and no paid hit-men. Going by their political stance, I would guess the plotters were not big fans of the Revolution.
The French Revolution failed.
It's too soon to say.
Which is actually a misquote, Zhou was talking about the May 68 protests. (And anyway, it would be kind of odd for someone who subscribes to the Marxist view of history to be agnostic about the French Revolution.)
As for whether it actually did fail, well, it still forms the inspiration and basis for much of French politics and culture, everything from their anthem to Marianne to religious policy to the very fact that, despite various forays into monarchy and bonapartism, they usually revert to republicanism. So, at the very least, I would say it is a pretty major inspiration.
In the western Unforgiven, Richard Harris plays an English contract-killer who travels the US in the wake of the Lincoln assassination bragging that, due to the mystique surrounding royalty, no one would ever dare try to kill a monarch.
It has been pointed out by critics of the film that there were at least six attempts on the life of Queen Victoria.
I don't think the film presents the Duck of Death as a reliable authority.
Yes, it's a weird criticism that a braggart has got something wrong.
Barnabas62Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
The level of political violence in the USA well justifies the steps it takes to protect its leaders. Lets not forget that it is not just sitting politicians who are murdered for political reasons. It is one of the tragedies of the place.
I think I'm right in saying only one MP has been murdered in the UK, and no PMs. Has anyone ever thought about changing the gun laws in the States?
The level of political violence in the USA well justifies the steps it takes to protect its leaders. Lets not forget that it is not just sitting politicians who are murdered for political reasons. It is one of the tragedies of the place.
I think I'm right in saying only one MP has been murdered in the UK, and no PMs. Has anyone ever thought about changing the gun laws in the States?
In addition to Jo Swinson in the pre-brexit buildup, I believe two of the five people killed in the Brighton bombing of 1985 were MPs, and the rest were all deeply involved with governmemt one way or another. And it seems pretty obvious that the bombers were trying to take out a Prime Minister.
In the western Unforgiven, Richard Harris plays an English contract-killer who travels the US in the wake of the Lincoln assassination bragging that, due to the mystique surrounding royalty, no one would ever dare try to kill a monarch.
It has been pointed out by critics of the film that there were at least six attempts on the life of Queen Victoria.
I don't think the film presents the Duck of Death as a reliable authority.
Yes, it's a weird criticism that a braggart has got something wrong.
I do not think we are supposed to regard the character as a hero, or even accept his analysis of why no one supposedly ever tried to kill a British monarch.
However, it's not clear from the script that the writers were even aware that there had been attempts on the life of Victoria. Usually if someone meant to be understood as unreliable gets a fact wrong, and the fact is not something widely known to the audience, the writers will include a scene where someone else corrects him.
Note: I did limit my historical reference to the members of NATO, meaning during the existence of NATO. Yes, there have always been assassinations and assassination attempts ever since there have been governments (heck, some of my ancestors were involved in that during the War of the Roses).
In the western Unforgiven, Richard Harris plays an English contract-killer who travels the US in the wake of the Lincoln assassination bragging that, due to the mystique surrounding royalty, no one would ever dare try to kill a monarch.
It has been pointed out by critics of the film that there were at least six attempts on the life of Queen Victoria.
The level of political violence in the USA well justifies the steps it takes to protect its leaders. Lets not forget that it is not just sitting politicians who are murdered for political reasons. It is one of the tragedies of the place.
I think I'm right in saying only one MP has been murdered in the UK, and no PMs. Has anyone ever thought about changing the gun laws in the States?
No, actually--you wicked creature.
But in your own vein--as far as I am aware, not a single MP has been murdered in the US, and no PMs either. So there.
I think I'm right in saying only one MP has been murdered in the UK, and no PMs. Has anyone ever thought about changing the gun laws in the States?
Prime Minister Spencer Perceval was assassinated in 1812 and is to date the only Prime Minister of [Great Britain / the United Kingdom] to be assassinated.
So, the Fake King gloats that he banned travelers from China on 31 January and then he shuts down the economy on 1 March. Inquiring minds want to know, though, what he did during the 29 days of February.
So, the Fake King gloats that he banned travelers from China on 31 January . . .
Depends on how you define "banned travelers from China". U.S. citizens and certain foreign nationals were still permitted to travel to China and return to the U.S. under Trump's "ban", which only makes sense if you think SARS-CoV-2 can be repelled by a valid U.S. passport.
What? You mean it *CAN'T? Even if soaked in hydroxychloraquine?
Barnabas62Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
Looking at the terrible situation in New York State, I think the tracers have discovered that those who brought the virus into New York came from Europe. Not sure about the timing but it may well have been before the partial ban on travellers from Europe.
The China ban is a fig leaf Trump uses to try and cover his nakedness - and it fails to do that. Sorry if you require brain bleach after the metaphor.
Looking at the terrible situation in New York State, I think the tracers have discovered that those who brought the virus into New York came from Europe.
Given the number of New Yorkers with Italian heritage and ongoing ties to their ancestral land this is unsurprising. Italy was Europe's COVID-19 hotspot at the time.
Not sure about the timing but it may well have been before the partial ban on travellers from Europe.
Trump announced the European partial travel ban on March 11. At that point there were already 216 known COVID-19 cases in New York state, meaning that there were probably 5-10 times that number of undetected infections given the paucity of U.S. testing at that point. I think the metaphor about horses and barn doors applies.
Looking at the terrible situation in New York State, I think the tracers have discovered that those who brought the virus into New York came from Europe.
Given the number of New Yorkers with Italian heritage and ongoing ties to their ancestral land this is unsurprising. Italy was Europe's COVID-19 hotspot at the time.
Not sure about the timing but it may well have been before the partial ban on travellers from Europe.
Trump announced the European partial travel ban on March 11. At that point there were already 216 known COVID-19 cases in New York state, meaning that there were probably 5-10 times that number of undetected infections given the paucity of U.S. testing at that point. I think the metaphor about horses and barn doors applies.
And when he announced the ban against Europe, I asked my wife weren't the horses already out of that barn?
The Fake King continues to brag about shutting down travel from China. Yes, we know that did not happen.
Barnabas62Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
Thanks again, Croesos. I guess his fig leaf got caught in the closing barn door.
But seriously, folks, I really don't understand how such lame excuses get accepted so uncritically by the loyalists. It's such obvious BS.
I'm old enough to remember Goldwater sawing off the Eastern Seaboard. Is there some residual animus in middle America towards New York which might lead to a kind of 'thats NY, we're different'?
By "middle America", do you mean folks in the middle of the country, middle class folks, or...
IME, Americans often have Ideas about places in America they've never been, and mixed feelings about them. E.g. California: Hollywood (good, bad, and salacious); Disneyland; LGBTQ; the rich and famous; cults; tech central; quakes and fires; "As California goes, so goes the nation", etc. And a long-running (fear, expectation, hope) that California will break off in an earthquake and fall into the sea.
New York--particularly New York City--gets its own dose of that.
I'd thought of the comparison, though mostly in the sense of "would it be too cruel to put him to sea in a wooden lifeboat". But it makes sense that he sees himself that way. Strongman leader, etc.
The level of political violence in the USA well justifies the steps it takes to protect its leaders. Lets not forget that it is not just sitting politicians who are murdered for political reasons. It is one of the tragedies of the place.
I think I'm right in saying only one MP has been murdered in the UK, and no PMs. Has anyone ever thought about changing the gun laws in the States?
Oh God can you people PLEASE stop asking this question? Like it never occurred to anybody over here, "Hey, let's just change our gun laws!" Just stuff it.
And the same re any more comments dissing the US, if you (gen.) don't dis your own country first. That rankles enough in regular circumstances...but when we're all trying to get through facets of the same problem, all over the *world*, it's inappropriate *at best* to chow down on a country for the sake of chowing down on it.
I just have the hunch that the odds are lengthening at last ... only a faint hope, but Wisconsin's dropkick of Karofsky into their Supreme Court surely suggests one or two are seeing past the Orange Git and his sycophantic GOP's corruptions?
He's the incumbent. And he's the incumbent in a crisis, and if anybody is capable of spinning any outcome as a personal victory in defiance of the evidence, it's him.
Re Mutiny: Dear God, can someone explain to Trump what a federation is?
It's bad enough he doesn't understand separation of powers and that Congress and judges don't work for him. Now we have to explain that State Governors don't work for him either.
I just have the hunch that the odds are lengthening at last ... only a faint hope, but Wisconsin's dropkick of Karofsky into their Supreme Court surely suggests one or two are seeing past the Orange Git and his sycophantic GOP's corruptions?
As always, it’s the hope that springs eternal ...
Barnabas62Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
That's the concept I was working with. The late Alistair Cooke, whose keenly observed but affectionate Letters from America were much admired here in the UK, used the term as a part of one of his general themes. Which was that the United States should never be regarded as a monolith, but rather as a very diverse federation. So it seemed to me that the diversity might be very much in play at this time.
Perhaps worth adding that I share Alistair Cooke's affection and fascination? When it comes to the USA I am always a well-wisher.
Apologies to my American Shipmates. My comment about guns was meant to raise a smile. Clearly I got that wrong. I stuffed up.
We all make mistakes. It's just that those of us who would like to see a change don't think of it as something that merits a smile. Profuse crying is more like it.
That's the concept I was working with. The late Alistair Cooke, whose keenly observed but affectionate Letters from America were much admired here in the UK, used the term as a part of one of his general themes. Which was that the United States should never be regarded as a monolith, but rather as a very diverse federation. So it seemed to me that the diversity might be very much in play at this time.
Perhaps worth adding that I share Alistair Cooke's affection and fascination? When it comes to the USA I am always a well-wisher.
Me too, very much so.
I have visited many states in the US - my husband has visited them all!
I listened to Letter from America for years, from being a child - because my Dad used to tune in. All my criticism is for tRump, the NRA and their supporters. Never US bashing, we considered moving there a few years ago.
If anything, many of us on this side of the Pond have a deep sympathy for the suffering of Sensible Americans™ under the misrule of Trump, the right-wing 'Christian'* elements, the NRA, etc. etc.
(*I wonder if they should be referred to as 'Xian', as they don't seem to really relate to the 'Christ' of the Gospels... )
I used to like listening to Alistair Cooke. The only letter from America I can recall concerned someone demolishing a beautiful New York building (Art Deco?) in order to put up a ghastly tower with his name on it. I did not expect to hear much about the Philistine concerned again, but did wonder wht had happened to him occasionally. I wish I was still in that state.
They'll have to print super-sized cheques! Whenever I seem him signing something he makes his signature SO BIG. I always think of the self-satisfaction as though he's a toddler getting off the potty and saying "look, Donny did a BIG poo!"
I thought for a moment that the news meant he was going personally to sign all the checks implying they came from his own account - how generous of the USA's apparently bigliest billionaire!
It was a wonderful thought.... but the article implies that it's just his name that will appear on each check. Ah well...
It'll be something he can boast about come November.
In contrast, I'm fairly sure that Sir Stafford Cripps would not permit the second postwar election to be held close to the (highly popular) founding of the NHS, since that to him represented electoral bribery by the party - his party - in power.
I thought for a moment that the news meant he was going personally to sign all the checks implying they came from his own account - how generous of the USA's apparently bigliest billionaire!
That's what he wanted, but the President is not an authorized signatory for US treasury disbursements, so he's having to have his signature put in a special spot.
I thought for a moment that the news meant he was going personally to sign all the checks implying they came from his own account - how generous of the USA's apparently bigliest billionaire!
That's what he wanted, but the President is not an authorized signatory for US treasury disbursements, so he's having to have his signature put in a special spot.
It is on the memo line of the check. But I would much rather he had stuffed it in another special spot on his own person--just saying.
Because we are retired on Social Security our check will be direct deposit so I will not have to look at his name on a check. Graven Image who gets pleasure from the little things in life these days.
I am deeply and passionately in love with the United States as an outsider looking in. That probably means that I am in love with a collection of aspects of the country, its culture and those who live there. My personal and unconscious stress on those aspects allows me to hope that one day, in some way, it will live up to its in my view clear potential to be a force for moral good in the world. By moral good, I naturally mean MY version of moral goodness.
I am uncomfortably aware of the similarities between my vision and the American neo-conservative views on international affairs popular in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. But I can't/refuse to help that, because my feeling towards the United States really is deeply and passionately embedded. Every aspect of my life from boyhood prepared me to love the USA and to wish the very best for it and its people. But MY version of the very best, I hasten to add.
One thing I would really like to do is to get to know some African American people up close and personally. I would like to know all about their lives. I'd like to live with some for a few years and really understand those people, as a bridge to understanding people in more casual encounters. Too many of my interactions have been with white or latino people, proportionally speaking. I never got close to any black kid when I was there at high school.
Comments
Which is actually a misquote, Zhou was talking about the May 68 protests. (And anyway, it would be kind of odd for someone who subscribes to the Marxist view of history to be agnostic about the French Revolution.)
As for whether it actually did fail, well, it still forms the inspiration and basis for much of French politics and culture, everything from their anthem to Marianne to religious policy to the very fact that, despite various forays into monarchy and bonapartism, they usually revert to republicanism. So, at the very least, I would say it is a pretty major inspiration.
Yes, it's a weird criticism that a braggart has got something wrong.
I think I'm right in saying only one MP has been murdered in the UK, and no PMs. Has anyone ever thought about changing the gun laws in the States?
In addition to Jo Swinson in the pre-brexit buildup, I believe two of the five people killed in the Brighton bombing of 1985 were MPs, and the rest were all deeply involved with governmemt one way or another. And it seems pretty obvious that the bombers were trying to take out a Prime Minister.
I do not think we are supposed to regard the character as a hero, or even accept his analysis of why no one supposedly ever tried to kill a British monarch.
However, it's not clear from the script that the writers were even aware that there had been attempts on the life of Victoria. Usually if someone meant to be understood as unreliable gets a fact wrong, and the fact is not something widely known to the audience, the writers will include a scene where someone else corrects him.
A couple corrections. First, the film is set in the wake of the Garfield assassination, not Lincoln's. Second, English Bob claims that not only would a monarch's majesty protect them from anyone wanting to assassinate them [video clip], he also claims that in the event someone actually did nerve themselves up to do it their hand would shake so badly that they'd inevitably miss [also video], which would explain (in the mind of English Bob) all those failed attempts.
No, actually--you wicked creature.
But in your own vein--as far as I am aware, not a single MP has been murdered in the US, and no PMs either. So there.
Prime Minister Spencer Perceval was assassinated in 1812 and is to date the only Prime Minister of [Great Britain / the United Kingdom] to be assassinated.
Depends on how you define "banned travelers from China". U.S. citizens and certain foreign nationals were still permitted to travel to China and return to the U.S. under Trump's "ban", which only makes sense if you think SARS-CoV-2 can be repelled by a valid U.S. passport.
The China ban is a fig leaf Trump uses to try and cover his nakedness - and it fails to do that. Sorry if you require brain bleach after the metaphor.
Given the number of New Yorkers with Italian heritage and ongoing ties to their ancestral land this is unsurprising. Italy was Europe's COVID-19 hotspot at the time.
Trump announced the European partial travel ban on March 11. At that point there were already 216 known COVID-19 cases in New York state, meaning that there were probably 5-10 times that number of undetected infections given the paucity of U.S. testing at that point. I think the metaphor about horses and barn doors applies.
And when he announced the ban against Europe, I asked my wife weren't the horses already out of that barn?
The Fake King continues to brag about shutting down travel from China. Yes, we know that did not happen.
But seriously, folks, I really don't understand how such lame excuses get accepted so uncritically by the loyalists. It's such obvious BS.
I'm old enough to remember Goldwater sawing off the Eastern Seaboard. Is there some residual animus in middle America towards New York which might lead to a kind of 'thats NY, we're different'?
Re animus towards New York:
By "middle America", do you mean folks in the middle of the country, middle class folks, or...
IME, Americans often have Ideas about places in America they've never been, and mixed feelings about them. E.g. California: Hollywood (good, bad, and salacious); Disneyland; LGBTQ; the rich and famous; cults; tech central; quakes and fires; "As California goes, so goes the nation", etc. And a long-running (fear, expectation, hope) that California will break off in an earthquake and fall into the sea.
New York--particularly New York City--gets its own dose of that.
"Trump Compares Himself to ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ Movie Villain Captain Bligh: AFI placed character played by Charles Laughton and Trevor Howard as No. 19 movie villain, just behind the shark from 'Jaws'" (The Wrap).
I'd thought of the comparison, though mostly in the sense of "would it be too cruel to put him to sea in a wooden lifeboat". But it makes sense that he sees himself that way. Strongman leader, etc.
Oh God can you people PLEASE stop asking this question? Like it never occurred to anybody over here, "Hey, let's just change our gun laws!" Just stuff it.
What mt said.
And the same re any more comments dissing the US, if you (gen.) don't dis your own country first. That rankles enough in regular circumstances...but when we're all trying to get through facets of the same problem, all over the *world*, it's inappropriate *at best* to chow down on a country for the sake of chowing down on it.
I just have the hunch that the odds are lengthening at last ... only a faint hope, but Wisconsin's dropkick of Karofsky into their Supreme Court surely suggests one or two are seeing past the Orange Git and his sycophantic GOP's corruptions?
It's bad enough he doesn't understand separation of powers and that Congress and judges don't work for him. Now we have to explain that State Governors don't work for him either.
The man believes he's the CEO of USA, Inc.
As always, it’s the hope that springs eternal ...
Golden Key
That's the concept I was working with. The late Alistair Cooke, whose keenly observed but affectionate Letters from America were much admired here in the UK, used the term as a part of one of his general themes. Which was that the United States should never be regarded as a monolith, but rather as a very diverse federation. So it seemed to me that the diversity might be very much in play at this time.
Perhaps worth adding that I share Alistair Cooke's affection and fascination? When it comes to the USA I am always a well-wisher.
Satirist Andy Borowitz had the caption "Governors Ignore Trump’s Demand To Accept Him As Their Personal Savior".
We all make mistakes. It's just that those of us who would like to see a change don't think of it as something that merits a smile. Profuse crying is more like it.
Me too, very much so.
I have visited many states in the US - my husband has visited them all!
I listened to Letter from America for years, from being a child - because my Dad used to tune in. All my criticism is for tRump, the NRA and their supporters. Never US bashing, we considered moving there a few years ago.
(*I wonder if they should be referred to as 'Xian', as they don't seem to really relate to the 'Christ' of the Gospels...
They'll have to print super-sized cheques! Whenever I seem him signing something he makes his signature SO BIG. I always think of the self-satisfaction as though he's a toddler getting off the potty and saying "look, Donny did a BIG poo!"
I thought for a moment that the news meant he was going personally to sign all the checks implying they came from his own account - how generous of the USA's apparently bigliest billionaire!
It was a wonderful thought.... but the article implies that it's just his name that will appear on each check. Ah well...
It'll be something he can boast about come November.
If he lives that long, of course.
What a piece of shit.
In contrast, I'm fairly sure that Sir Stafford Cripps would not permit the second postwar election to be held close to the (highly popular) founding of the NHS, since that to him represented electoral bribery by the party - his party - in power.
Oh yes - Integrity...
That's what he wanted, but the President is not an authorized signatory for US treasury disbursements, so he's having to have his signature put in a special spot.
It is on the memo line of the check. But I would much rather he had stuffed it in another special spot on his own person--just saying.
I am uncomfortably aware of the similarities between my vision and the American neo-conservative views on international affairs popular in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. But I can't/refuse to help that, because my feeling towards the United States really is deeply and passionately embedded. Every aspect of my life from boyhood prepared me to love the USA and to wish the very best for it and its people. But MY version of the very best, I hasten to add.
One thing I would really like to do is to get to know some African American people up close and personally. I would like to know all about their lives. I'd like to live with some for a few years and really understand those people, as a bridge to understanding people in more casual encounters. Too many of my interactions have been with white or latino people, proportionally speaking. I never got close to any black kid when I was there at high school.