Hillary at Oxford: “You cannot be civil” to Republicans

While studying church history and worshiping the Lord of history here in Oxford, I unexpectedly encountered a bit of modern history after Evensong at Magdalen College – Hillary Clinton. There was quite a commotion during and after said Evensong this past Sunday.  Afterward I found out why when I saw Hillary herself enjoying the adulation of students. She looked well and happy by the way.

 But look what she said while in Oxford.  Her response to the recent uncivil, abusive, threatening, and, yes, violent tactics of Leftists?

 First remember that Bill Clinton, for all his faults, had enough gumption to confront the violent extremists in his party.  His Sister Soulja Moment remains an example of political courage (and of political calculation, too, of course.  We are talking Bill Clinton.)  But instead, Hillary justified the uncivil and violent Left with…

 You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about…

 She thereby endorses the tactics of the Leftist mob.  She endorses the Brown Shirt tactics of totalitarians.  And face it, the way the Leftist base of the Democrat Party has been acting, with the blessing of Hillary, of Eric Holder among others – that is the way totalitarians act.

 It became clear during the Obama years and is becoming clearer now: the Democrat Party has a disturbing totalitarian streak.  Its tactics against Kavanaugh, trying to turn his confirmation into a show trial, its attacks against the free speech of opponents and even against the peace and persons of opponents, reveal it is becoming a totalitarian party if it is not there already.

 And that is further indicated by even the uber-establishment Hillary Clinton being okay with that.

 With the way the Democrats are going, I expect to revisit this subject.  We must revisit this subject.  The 20^thCentury is full of lives destroyed because of slowness to confront totalitarians.  But it suffices for now to say that if the Democrat Party is not politically punished for their totalitarian tactics and soon, namely November, it will be a disaster for the United States.  I know that saying so will seem overwrought to some, but the Democrat Party is already that far gone as Hillary’s statement here in Oxford indicates.

Latin BCP Holy Communion?

Yes, a Latin Book of Common Prayer service may seem a bit of a contradiction, an oxymoron even. Wasn’t the BCP written in English precisely so that it would be “understanded of the people”? Wasn’t it a pointed break from the Latin Sarum Rite?

But remember that in times past, Latin was very well “understanded” by Oxford scholars.  You really could not get into the place without knowing Latin well.  This is reflected even in some 20th Century books in which it is assumed that if you are bothering to read them, you know Latin.  Anyway, in 1560, just one year after the Elizabethan Prayer Book of 1559 was approved, a Latin BCP was promulgated for the use in the universities.

A survivor of those times – because tradition! – is a Latin BCP Holy Communion service at the University Church of St. Mary’s in Oxford at 8am the Thursday before the beginning of the academic year, which service I attended this morning.  Yes, this bit of strange history continues today.

I attended (among only about 15 so to do) because . . . tradition! -- I cannot resist strange history -- and because Oxford could use all the Latin prayer it can get.  But I have to admit it was more stirring than I expected.  As I walked down the High about ten minutes early, the St. Mary’s main bell was calling scholars to the service. Of course, most of even Oxford students on High Street were probably clueless as to why all the gonging.  Partly this is because of ignorance of history, but also because this bit of slightly arcane Oxford is not well publicized at all.  This is typical of Oxford.  As the famous Father Barry of Pusey House one complained, "No one tells you what is going on around here!"

The service itself was quiet and said, only about 35 minutes.  I found hearing and saying (tolerably well) the Latin moving.  There is something about Latin.  And when I crossed my arms for a blessing only (Oddly, the sacrament was brought around to the stalls instead of the congregation going forward.), being quietly blessed in Latin moved me indeed.

I attended this in 2007, missed it in 2011.  I am glad I didn’t miss it this time and recommend it to all visitors to Oxford, at least those not allergic to Latin.