Assassin

 

  It never fixes things by killing an opponent. A minute after Trump was shot, most Democrats were relieved he wasn't killed. Those personal armories all around the country are primed to go off. Most Republicans found the near miss exciting. 

  The motives of Trump's shooter are still under investigation. He donated to the Democrats and registered as a Republican, so we may never know. Maybe he was just disgruntled, like John Felton who killed the Duke of Buckingham back in 1628. Felton was an army lieutenant and was mad at Buckingham for not promoting him to captain.

  The Duke had other things to worry about, being in the process of raising an army to invade France. The Duke had already lost two armies because he was a terrible administrator. The Duke had been born George Villiers, into a family of minor gentry, that group between commoners and nobles. His father died young, but there was still enough money to send young George to dancing school.

  Villiers also learned charm at dancing school. He was described as the most beautiful young man in England. He caught the eye of the bi-sexual  King James I and became the king's favorite. He was soon knighted and promoted up the ranks of the Aristocracy. At the age of 27, James appointed him High Admiral of England. Buckingham was in charge of all patronage appointments which he used to enrich himself and his family.

  Buckingham also became the friend and mentor of the king's son, the Prince of Wales.  When James died, Buckingham maintained his powerful position in the court of King Charles I. James had kept England out of war, but Buckingham sought glory in wars with Spain and France and Charles was happy to support him. All these expeditions failed because Buckingham neglected to take care of business. His armies were ill led and ill supplied and all his campaigns ended in humiliating defeat.

  Everyone except Charles hated Buckingham and wished him ill. On this day in 1628 the man who would carry out that wish was making his way with a dagger to the Greyhound Inn in Portsmouth. Felton was an army officer who had been on the disastrous campaign to Spain. He was lucky to have survived, but wanted to go on the campaign to France but was turned down for the initial invasion. When that failed he was sent with the reinforcements. Again he was lucky to get back to England. Back home he gave signs of suffering from PTSD. He applied for back pay and promotion to captain and when he was unsuccessful, he blamed Buckingham.

  Buckingham meanwhile was in Portsmouth raising troops for another attack on France. Felton made his way through the crowd surrounding Buckingham and stabbed him. Felton now should have made his way out of the crowd. But he hung around, expecting to be welcomed as a hero. He was initially, but the police soon had him in jail. The English people were glad Buckingham was dead but they didn't want men with knives solving their problems. Felton was tried and hanged three months after the assassination.

  Was Thomas Crooks who shot Trump disgruntled? He had been searching both Trump's and Biden's whereabouts before he drove to the Trump rally. He had an AR-15 rifle his father had bought and sold to him. He had just received an associate degree in engineering science and was working in the dietary department of a nursing home. He lived at home with his parents who were both counselors. He joins a long list of assassins, some with clear motives, others just looking for a change.