‘Hell hath no fury’…a tale of retribution

By Mark Ellis —

“Heav’n has no rage, like love to hatred turn’d, nor hell a fury, like a woman scorn’d.” – English playwright William Congreve, 1697

Hear these words of wisdom from the playwright, for we live in a time of tumult and strife, where the shadows of vengeance and retribution cast dark shadows over the land. Now the echoes of the playwright’s pen resound as we witness a saga of political vendetta unfold. In the halls of power and the courts of justice, a drama akin to the tales of old plays out—the story of a scorned woman and the relentless pursuit of retribution on her behalf.

In one of the most contentious presidential campaigns in American history, Donald Trump ascended to the highest office in the land in 2016, vanquishing the ambitions of Hillary Clinton, once crowned as the presumptive president by the establishment. She was achingly close to becoming The First Woman President of the United States.

And in his contentious path to victory, Trump taunted Clinton, labeling her “Crooked Hillary,” a moniker that stirred the hearts of his followers to chant with fervor, “Lock her up! Lock her up!”

These cries, laden with disdain, undoubtedly cut deep into the heart of the democrat nominee, like a sword of derision.

Now the seeds of scorn and mockery are bearing the fruit of vengeance, “served up cold,” by the willing hand of Justice Juan Merchan.

Just as “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” in the bitterness of defeat, it is this writer’s opinion that Clinton resolved to repay the mockery with the unprecedented lawfare campaign, initiated either by her or her allies within the Obama and Biden administrations.

Whoever initiated the campaign, it began in earnest. In this relentless pursuit, allies were summoned, and the gears of legal machinery set in motion within days after Trump declared his 2020 candidacy.

Wielding power to unjust ends, their machinations aimed to imprison Trump, to see him brought low before them, to balance the scales of her wounded pride.

O, the irony, for those who once decried the chants of “Lock her up” now seek to lock him up with equal fervor. There is little doubt that Judge Merchan will complete the mission to which he so willingly acceded, and sentence the former president to prison.

This is not the way of justice, but the path of vengeance. The law, which ought to be a beacon of impartiality, has been twisted into a weapon of personal vendetta, undermining the very foundations upon which a just society stands.

In the days of Isaiah, when the land was beset with corruption and the powerful sought their own gain, the prophet did not call for retribution, but for repentance and a return to righteousness. “Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:16-17).

Yet in our times, the pursuit of vengeance overshadows the call for justice. These modern actors on the far left, in their quest to undo the past humiliation, set in motion forces that threaten to tear apart the very fabric of our democratic institutions. Due process was trampled underfoot as the effort to “Lock him up” gained momentum and a twisted life of its own within the courtroom.

What manner of justice is this, where the outcome is predetermined by the bitterness of past grievances? How can the scales of justice remain balanced when one side seeks to tip them with the weight of their scorn? The prophet speaks: “Woe unto those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

Indeed, woe unto those who pervert the course of justice for personal vendetta. For in doing so, they undermine the very principles that uphold a fair and just society. When the law becomes a tool of retribution, it loses its sanctity and becomes an instrument of tyranny.

We must return to a justice system that is true and impartial and not allow personal vendettas to overshadow the greater good. Instead, let us seek a higher path, where the wounds of the past are healed through forgiveness and the pursuit of true justice.

The excesses of Trump Derangement Syndrome serve as a modern parable, reminding us of the dangers of allowing personal vendettas to dictate the course of justice. Let those of reasonable hearts and minds remain vigilant and engaged, to ensure the American justice system remains a beacon of hope and fairness to the rest of the world, rather than a weapon of retribution. For in this, we honor the legacy of our best traditions and the principles upon which a just society stands.