(Almost) No One Wins in the Finale of "The Regime"
In Part Because I Stink at Making Bingo Cards
Gentle Reader,
This is the last in the series Utropia, examining the tropes about power (and especially women in power) in The Regime, which wrapped up last Sunday with “Don’t Yet Rejoice.”
But first, an anecdote about the antics of a would-be charismatic leader.
The Ex-Bishop’s Goat
Mary Pezzulo over at Steel Magnificat did a great piece about manufactured right-wing religious hysteria, including by ex-bishop Joseph Strickland, who was fired by the Pope last fall when he refused to resign, and has a history of conspiratorial speculation and petty tyranny. He now spends his time picketing official Catholic events and making the rounds on the right-wing rally circuit.
As Pezzulo reports, Strickland was marketing his personal brand off the eclipse and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass:
No, I’m not making this up. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating a Mass per se, but according to LifeSite, Bishop Strickland is going to celebrate Mass specifically “in reparation for reportedly increased Masonic and satanic activity during the upcoming solar eclipse.”
Chuckling at this, I sent it to a Mason acquaintance and asked if his lodge would be sacrificing a goat.
“Brb, need to run out, forgot to get my goat.” He wrote.
“Better yet, get ex bishop Strickland’s goat.” I said.
“Don’t Yet Rejoice” Indeed
I expected a cynical ending to The Regime.
I expected a Full Circle Revolution, with a new regime, probably even more repressive, taking the place of Vernham’s. The new dictator would begin in true Tyrant Takes the Helm fashion, with a speech starting “There will be a lot of changes around here….” I had my money on Zubak.
The one thing I did not expect was for Vernham to survive, which makes putting Tyrannicide as the free space on all four bingo cards I made for a watch party a complete self-own.
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