“Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?”, asked Henry II in 1170, to no one in particular. He was referring to his fractious Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket; in turn, some of Henry’s knights took his remark as their cue to murder the Archbishop.
This is hardly the last time incendiary language has, however indirectly, prompted violence in the real world. Nine centuries on from Henry II, Donald Trump’s characteristically florid turn of phrase has been repeatedly linked to real-world threats to public safety. Then just last week, his repetition of a rumour about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, eating local pets sparked a media furore — and reported bomb threats in Springfield itself.
Speaking of which …
BREAKING: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is refusing to identify the foreign actors who called in the majority of hoax bomb threats in Springfield, Ohio. This is outrageous. The public has a right to know which foreign nations are meddling in our elections. pic.twitter.com/M61hCg50mn
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) September 17, 2024
