The two sides of Dr. Seuss
John J. Dunphy
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Unless you’re a convict who is currently in solitary confinement, you surely know that Dr. Seuss Enterprises, which oversees the estate of the late Theodor Geisel, a/k/a, Dr. Seuss, will discontinue publication of six of his works. “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” Dr. Seuss Enterprises said in a statement. This decision was reached after consultation with a panel of experts, including educators, who reviewed Seuss’ books. Random House Children’s Books, which publishes Seuss’ books, announced in a public statement that it respected the decision.
Republican politicians try to appear tough
John Dunphy
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Pandemic be damned! The Lone Star State won’t be intimidated by some wimpy little virus.
On March 2, when Texans celebrated the anniversary of their forebears’ 1836 Declaration of Independence from Mexico, Republican Governor Greg Abbott stated, “It is now time to open Texas 100%.” The “people and businesses” of Texas “don’t need the state telling them how to operate,” Abbott insisted.
On his Late Show that night, Stephen Colbert observed that an assertion such as “It is now time to open Texas 100%” could be construed as meaning that Texas now has open borders and anyone who wants to enter the Lone Star State from Mexico is welcome to do so.
Not all acknowledge the importance of vaccines thetelegraph.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thetelegraph.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Lincoln, like Biden, was sworn in under threat of violence
John Dunphy
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Trump supporters live in an alternate universe where facts and critical thinking are largely absent. I was yet again reminded of this sad fact when I read several Facebook posts giving their take on Joe Biden’s inauguration. They believe that the 15,000 National Guard troops who were deployed to the Capitol at the time of Biden’s swearing-in comprise proof of a coup.
Of course they remain convinced that the election was stolen from The Donald, which means Biden is a “fake president.” They’re convinced that those troops were summoned to Washington to prevent freedom-loving patriots (i.e.,Trump supporters) from rising in revolt and putting an end to this charade. I recall a particularly reprehensible meme, posted by a Trump zealot, that featured a photo of Hitler and noted that he, too, was forced to station troops at his inauguration.
Law and order president incited an insurrection
John Dunphy
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The video and still photographs of the Capitol insurrection are almost surreal in their horror. Those images will haunt many of us for the rest of our lives. I’ll never manage to unsee that video of a District of Columbia police officer lying helpless on the ground while being beaten by a rioter with a flagpole that bears an American flag, the symbol of our nation. While the officer was being beaten, other rioters excitedly chanted “U-S-A!” to express their approval of this barbaric attack.
The thugs who so gleefully assaulted the police in our nation’s capitol were urged on by Donald Trump who, during his re-election campaign, depicted himself as the law and order candidate. During one of his debates with Biden, Trump stated, “The people of this country want and demand law and order.” There’s an Orwellian quality about followers of a self-proclaimed law and order president beating up police officers. Such a paradox really shouldn’t surprise us, though. Trump’s entire presidency has been an exercise in Orwellianism.