Yesterday, former, and likely, President Donald Trump made claims that President Joe Biden and the FBI intended to assassinate him during a search of his Mar-a-Lago resort in 2022.
I have had your article on my mind all day since reading this morning and remarking on its prescience.
You mentioned Japan and Slovakia as having experienced assassination or attempted assassination with Iran losing it's prime Minister.
I think that while noting these recent assassination events (Iran unknown) is an important reference to recent events regarding this subject, it leaves out two important and relevant facts about these events and their respective local social effects.
First is that a "blood bath" did not result in these respective countries from the attempted assassination nor the assassination that was completed.
Second is that all three of the countries sighted in this article either have extreme firearms restrictions (Iran) (Japan) or highly restrictive gun regulations (Slovakia).
This country USA), as you have pointed out many times in other articles is the most heavily armed population on the planet.
Any argument for the dismissal of your premise that a "blood bath" could ensue with a current political assassination in this country should consider the ramifications of the "unrestricted" gun laws in this country along with the number of firearms in circulation in this country as well as the chaos in the aftermath of the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy 60 some years ago.
(Others excluded only for expediency. )
You are correct my friend, but unfortunately these examples of resent assassination and assassination attempts around the world don't do justice to the extreme dangers that exist in our country today, should we repeat our storied history of political assassinations.
Thank you again for your insights and the opportunity to contribute to a conscious community.
As a first responder for many years, the mantra has always been "make good choices, don't become the victim, victims can't save anybody ".
Be well everyone, be good to the people in your life, resist the inclination to argue with idiots, and stay safe.
IF I could have "liked" this comment anymore I would have broken both my computer and forefinger. I absolutely concur which is why I wrote the piece. Now, a bit of bad news...
In your last paragraph you echo the exact same sentiment as I do about my own three children and the conditions they must deal with as they get older and try to make the best of a worrisome situation. My oldest son and his lovely wife are often mentioning their desire to have children. I quietly struggle with how elated I was when he was born, and how concerned I am for the earth we will leave behind for not only him but his children. My mom and dad left this earth in a better position for me and my brother and sister than I feel I am leaving for my children and grand-children. In my own small way I’m trying to make it better—but at times I feel like the ship getting beat up and beat down in a storm at sea. We prepare the ship as best we can and watch with a feeling of insignificance as the sea does to us what it wants.
Wow, Mr. Kenyatta, you thoroughly understand Trump as the delusional cult leader that he is, idealizing whoever is the most brutal kid on the block. And you get how men like this gain devoted followers who believe in the man's delusions, giving him the power that he then wields sadistically over them. I missed this essay when you published it in May and I'm so glad you published it again for us...prescient isn't even the word.
Thank you, Ms. Taylor. Appreciation from readers is the grandest part of the writer's pitiful existence. A thing made more precious when you are a Black Male writer writing about sociopolitical matters. For it is a world that you are not, and were not, supposed to be in. However, whenever I engage anyone in the United States if nothing else I inform them "if you knew where you were, you would know where you are at."
If you have ever seen the movie Thelma and Louise, you know that they made a pact to fly off of a cliff in that convertible. It was their choice. However, the United States, both domestically AND internationally (that's coming next) is in the convertible and flown off of the cliff. But, unlike Thelma and Louise, the occupants don't have a choice. There is no turning back in midflight and crash land they shall.
I just feel like filling up this rectangle with hearts, Mr. Kenyatta...You are brave and wise.
There's certainly nothing comforting about the image of Thelma and Louise driving their car off a cliff but it does capture the feeling people like us are having. For the sake of you and your wonderful family, I hope our movie doesn't end like that.
My only sorrow is the selfishness I exhibited by having my girls. Had I the insight I have acquired in the maturation process, I would never have had children. The guilt I feel for what they will likely encounter distresses me greatly. Nonetheless, Thank you for the well wishes and the same to you.
Hmm...I understand your sorrow as a result of how powerless we are as parents to protect our children from the worst a racist/sexist society dishes out. But I would also say that the world needs MORE people like you and your wife who raise children in a warm, supportive environment so that they'll be secure adults who do no harm to themselves or others. They've been strengthened, internally, by the love and protection of wise and loving parents who allowed them to grow into self-confident women. I hear you that you feel it was a selfish act on your part to bring children into this world at all, but I see it a little differently. I don't see YOU as the selfish one, rather the racist world creates a situation that causes you to feel that way. I hope my comments haven't offended...please tell me if they have.
Donald Trump "asserts" a lot of things—none of them true except in his diseased hate-filled brain, and those of his cult. Biden doesn't HAVE to assassinate him, given Donnie Dumbshit is doing such a fine job of it all on his own.
It really sucks that Trump is such a shambling disaster that Joe "The Last Dixiecrat" Biden is a significant improvement. I think Biden's done a better job as President than I thought possible, but there's still a LOT of room for improvement here, especially when it comes to dancing to the tune of outdated foreign policy and half-assed "progressive" half-measures.
Sorry I haven't been around much—dealing with a lot of stress and rage IRL, which is getting in the way of my writing....
I have fleeting thoughts of the fear that we're currently experiencing joy because of our next President, Harris. Somehow they're going to take this away from us.
I have had your article on my mind all day since reading this morning and remarking on its prescience.
You mentioned Japan and Slovakia as having experienced assassination or attempted assassination with Iran losing it's prime Minister.
I think that while noting these recent assassination events (Iran unknown) is an important reference to recent events regarding this subject, it leaves out two important and relevant facts about these events and their respective local social effects.
First is that a "blood bath" did not result in these respective countries from the attempted assassination nor the assassination that was completed.
Second is that all three of the countries sighted in this article either have extreme firearms restrictions (Iran) (Japan) or highly restrictive gun regulations (Slovakia).
This country USA), as you have pointed out many times in other articles is the most heavily armed population on the planet.
Any argument for the dismissal of your premise that a "blood bath" could ensue with a current political assassination in this country should consider the ramifications of the "unrestricted" gun laws in this country along with the number of firearms in circulation in this country as well as the chaos in the aftermath of the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy 60 some years ago.
(Others excluded only for expediency. )
You are correct my friend, but unfortunately these examples of resent assassination and assassination attempts around the world don't do justice to the extreme dangers that exist in our country today, should we repeat our storied history of political assassinations.
Thank you again for your insights and the opportunity to contribute to a conscious community.
As a first responder for many years, the mantra has always been "make good choices, don't become the victim, victims can't save anybody ".
Be well everyone, be good to the people in your life, resist the inclination to argue with idiots, and stay safe.
IF I could have "liked" this comment anymore I would have broken both my computer and forefinger. I absolutely concur which is why I wrote the piece. Now, a bit of bad news...
Don't matter, at this point.
Best piece you’ve written for Substack, Rohn Kenyatta. Thank you.
In return I gift you the unfairly forgotten word “kakistocracy,” and eagerly await the uses to which you may assign it.
Subjectivity of thine opinion notwithstanding, thank you Satiricus.
Aloha Mr. Kenyatta,
In your last paragraph you echo the exact same sentiment as I do about my own three children and the conditions they must deal with as they get older and try to make the best of a worrisome situation. My oldest son and his lovely wife are often mentioning their desire to have children. I quietly struggle with how elated I was when he was born, and how concerned I am for the earth we will leave behind for not only him but his children. My mom and dad left this earth in a better position for me and my brother and sister than I feel I am leaving for my children and grand-children. In my own small way I’m trying to make it better—but at times I feel like the ship getting beat up and beat down in a storm at sea. We prepare the ship as best we can and watch with a feeling of insignificance as the sea does to us what it wants.
Verily, the tempest approaches the Ship of Fools.
And so, here we go.
Is your middle name Nostradomus?
Blackstradamus, I am called in the ancient world.
Great—do the numbers for Powerball next!
What odds can I get that Trump arranged this himself to "prove" to everybody that Biden is out to get him?
Wow, Mr. Kenyatta, you thoroughly understand Trump as the delusional cult leader that he is, idealizing whoever is the most brutal kid on the block. And you get how men like this gain devoted followers who believe in the man's delusions, giving him the power that he then wields sadistically over them. I missed this essay when you published it in May and I'm so glad you published it again for us...prescient isn't even the word.
Thank you, Ms. Taylor. Appreciation from readers is the grandest part of the writer's pitiful existence. A thing made more precious when you are a Black Male writer writing about sociopolitical matters. For it is a world that you are not, and were not, supposed to be in. However, whenever I engage anyone in the United States if nothing else I inform them "if you knew where you were, you would know where you are at."
If you have ever seen the movie Thelma and Louise, you know that they made a pact to fly off of a cliff in that convertible. It was their choice. However, the United States, both domestically AND internationally (that's coming next) is in the convertible and flown off of the cliff. But, unlike Thelma and Louise, the occupants don't have a choice. There is no turning back in midflight and crash land they shall.
Thank you for you readership and subscription.
I just feel like filling up this rectangle with hearts, Mr. Kenyatta...You are brave and wise.
There's certainly nothing comforting about the image of Thelma and Louise driving their car off a cliff but it does capture the feeling people like us are having. For the sake of you and your wonderful family, I hope our movie doesn't end like that.
Love and mercy...
My only sorrow is the selfishness I exhibited by having my girls. Had I the insight I have acquired in the maturation process, I would never have had children. The guilt I feel for what they will likely encounter distresses me greatly. Nonetheless, Thank you for the well wishes and the same to you.
Hmm...I understand your sorrow as a result of how powerless we are as parents to protect our children from the worst a racist/sexist society dishes out. But I would also say that the world needs MORE people like you and your wife who raise children in a warm, supportive environment so that they'll be secure adults who do no harm to themselves or others. They've been strengthened, internally, by the love and protection of wise and loving parents who allowed them to grow into self-confident women. I hear you that you feel it was a selfish act on your part to bring children into this world at all, but I see it a little differently. I don't see YOU as the selfish one, rather the racist world creates a situation that causes you to feel that way. I hope my comments haven't offended...please tell me if they have.
No wife. Raised youngest alone.
No offense, at all and thank you for the positive emanations.
Donald Trump "asserts" a lot of things—none of them true except in his diseased hate-filled brain, and those of his cult. Biden doesn't HAVE to assassinate him, given Donnie Dumbshit is doing such a fine job of it all on his own.
It really sucks that Trump is such a shambling disaster that Joe "The Last Dixiecrat" Biden is a significant improvement. I think Biden's done a better job as President than I thought possible, but there's still a LOT of room for improvement here, especially when it comes to dancing to the tune of outdated foreign policy and half-assed "progressive" half-measures.
Sorry I haven't been around much—dealing with a lot of stress and rage IRL, which is getting in the way of my writing....
A prescient statement to be sure.
I have fleeting thoughts of the fear that we're currently experiencing joy because of our next President, Harris. Somehow they're going to take this away from us.
What do you say now, post Trump assassination attempt?
The Band, Smoke Signal, from Cahoots
(They seen it comin’… 50+ years ago)
Went to the movie matinee
To see the blue coats try to get away
From a smoke signal
Above the trees
A smoke signal
Shifting in the breeze
Some folks think it's make believe
Other folks ain't so naive
About a smoke signal
Could see it coming
A smoke signal
Hear the drums drumming
You don't believe what you read in the paper
You can't believe the stranger at your door
You don't believe what you hear from your neighbor
Your old neighborhood ain't even there no more
Indian maid will plant the seed
And cultivate a whole new breed
There's a smoke signal
Over your head
A smoke signal
You know what it said?
When they're torn out by the roots
Young brothers join in cahoots
To send a smoke signal
Near and far
A smoke signal
No matter where you are
You don't believe what they say on the radio
You don't believe what you see on the video
Living in the shadow of a doubt today
Still waiting for the smoke to clear away
https://youtu.be/G9VRK58fh2s