What Orwell’s ‘1984’ tells us about today’s world, 70 years after it was published
The dominant reading of George Orwell’s dystopian novel, “1984” has been that it was a dire prediction of what could be. Denis Hamel Côté, CC BY-SA Stephen Groening, University of Washington Seventy years ago, Eric Blair, writing under a pseudonym George Orwell, published “1984,” now generally considered a classic of dystopian fiction. The novel … [Read more...] about What Orwell’s ‘1984’ tells us about today’s world, 70 years after it was published
I Did the Right Thing. The President Agrees (UPDATED)
UPDATE: While the take (below) on Trump’s views on candidates for public office receiving dirt from foreign governments was (sadly) satire, there is nothing satirical about what the head of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) felt was necessary to remind all Americans of – especially Trump. FEC Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub yesterday released a statement making perfectly … [Read more...] about I Did the Right Thing. The President Agrees (UPDATED)
Trump’s Penchant for Nasty Nicknames
Why does Donald the Doofus Trump call those he perceives as political enemies by offensive nick names? It makes any dialogue with these people, Republicans or Democrats, less serious, as if they were engaged in the playground. One wonders whether he behaved the same way when he was applying for a bank loan, or was involved with investors in a building project. If he did, it is … [Read more...] about Trump’s Penchant for Nasty Nicknames
This is worse than Watergate
WASHINGTON -- Pull up your bell bottoms, slip on your clogs, and turn up the Roberta Flack: Today, we're gonna testify like it's the 1970s. "Did you ever convey an order to break into the Democratic headquarters at the Watergate Hotel?" asked Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tex.. "What was the Saturday Night Massacre?" asked Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Tex. "Early on in the Nixon … [Read more...] about This is worse than Watergate
Four Days After D-Day: Massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane
A recent article at The Moderate Voice took “a look at genocide throughout the world” and throughout the ages. Of course, the Holocaust was grotesquely prominent among them. But there were also Rwanda and Kosovo and Darfur, the Armenian and Greek genocides and many more. The author, Dr. Alon Ben-Meir, does not limit his remarks to genocide. He also describes the many … [Read more...] about Four Days After D-Day: Massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane
The Liars We Trust – Why We Choose Transparency Over Truth
Even many of those who profoundly dislike his politics, his manner, or both, grudgingly admit to the appeal of his “what you see is what you get” quality. Yet and at the same time, many of his supporters – and almost all of their opponents – simultaneously recognize the blatant falsity of many of his statements. On the surface, there is a paradox. How can so many people … [Read more...] about The Liars We Trust – Why We Choose Transparency Over Truth
DOUCHEBAG’S WEARHOUSE (Cartoon and Column)
I’ve given myself a few rules to follow when creating political cartoons. One of those rules is, don’t draw a cartoon merely to state that Trump sucks. We already know Trump sucks. So, when drawing Trump, I try to make it not just about him, but a specific issue. Of course, I also reserve the right to break my own rules. In this case, I’m saying, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr, … [Read more...] about DOUCHEBAG’S WEARHOUSE (Cartoon and Column)
Great Music – Chapter 41
I’m sure some of you have noticed that the more about Trump and the American political scene that appear in the news, the more cynical I get about our future. The cure for that cynicism is to retreat temporarily into the world of music. In that way all the mundane aspects of current life retreat to no more than a little bug scampering across the carpet of existence. With music, … [Read more...] about Great Music – Chapter 41
Trump prepares to turn Independence Day into political rally
WASHINGTON -- For President Trump, every day is Presidents' Day. As Trump prepares to turn Independence Day into a political rally, the question is not why he has decided to crash the nation's birthday party on the Mall, but why he didn't do it sooner. One by one, he has tried to remake our holidays to his benefit. He issued a federal order declaring his Inauguration … [Read more...] about Trump prepares to turn Independence Day into political rally
Steps for preventing future genocides: A look at genocide throughout the world
By Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — The phenomenon of genocide has baffled historians for many generations. The question that has been and continues to be asked is what goes through the minds of leaders, however despotic and ruthless, to conclude that committing genocide against their real or perceived enemies will provide them with salvation that only the extermination of other … [Read more...] about Steps for preventing future genocides: A look at genocide throughout the world
What Has Happened to ‘Pride in All Who Serve’?
For six years, the Department of Defense (DoD) recognized diversity within the department and encouraged LGB service members and LGBT civilians to visibly serve. For six years, DoD officially acknowledged LGBT Pride Month, starting a year after President Obama repealed "don't ask, don't tell. For six years, DoD released a memo marking June as LGBT Pride Month encouraging … [Read more...] about What Has Happened to ‘Pride in All Who Serve’?
5th Avenue Theatre and Spectrum Dance Theater West Side Story Review
There are many enjoyable aspects of writing theater reviews. One is forming overly long descriptive title credit sentences such as it was my genuine pleasure last night to experience The 5th Avenue Theatre in association with Spectrum Dance Theater present a captivating expression of West Side Story that highlighted the thriving dance and theater expressions that permeate the … [Read more...] about 5th Avenue Theatre and Spectrum Dance Theater West Side Story Review
Only an ignoramus would sound like Trump
WASHINGTON -- It is not unfair to point out that President Trump, on many important subjects, is just an ignoramus. A vivid illustration of this unfortunate fact came this week in London, when it was revealed that Prince Charles, a knowledgeable environmentalist, had tried to educate the president on climate change -- and utterly failed. "I believe that there's a change … [Read more...] about Only an ignoramus would sound like Trump
PLAYING FOR THE BREAKS
Playing For The Breaks is a term used in counterinsurgency strategy to leverage critical errors made by an insurgency’s leaders. The Republican Party is doing nothing less than appeasing a political insurgency that threatens the authority of our constitutional democracy – of the Constitution itself. Whether the GOP’s motives reflect Steve Bannon’s anarchist ideology of the … [Read more...] about PLAYING FOR THE BREAKS
RACE WITH JARED (Cartoon, Column and Video)
In 2009, New York Post political cartoonist Sean Delonas drew a cartoon that made Vanity Fair write that he may be the “worst political cartoonist on the planet.” Obama had just signed a stimulus bill and Delonas drew a dead chimpanzee on the ground that was just gunned down by cops, who were saying, “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.” I … [Read more...] about RACE WITH JARED (Cartoon, Column and Video)
What Does Trump Owe Putin?
Since Trump’s unexpected victory in 2016 and the revelation of Russian meddling in the election to favor Trump by American intelligence agencies, there has been speculation about why Putin wanted Trump as the American president and why Trump has been so subservient to him. There was a belief in some quarters that Putin had kompromat- compromising information about Trump that … [Read more...] about What Does Trump Owe Putin?
Trump’s Mexico tariffs don’t make sense, but Americans will pay a steep price anyway if they go into effect
Mexican avocados may soon be more expensive in American supermarkets. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan Christina Fattore, West Virginia University The Trump administration says it intends to slap a 5% tariff on every medium-sized car, avocado and other Mexican import beginning June 10 – all almost US$1 billion worth that crosses the border into the U.S. each … [Read more...] about Trump’s Mexico tariffs don’t make sense, but Americans will pay a steep price anyway if they go into effect
On the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, Some of the Last Survivors Share their Stories
Tomorrow is the 75th anniversary of that fateful day when… …nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed along a heavily fortified, 50-mile stretch of French coastline in the historic operation known as D-Day. Allied casualties were heavy — an estimated 10,000 killed, wounded and missing in action — but by day's end, the Allies had gained a foothold to begin liberating … [Read more...] about On the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, Some of the Last Survivors Share their Stories
Mexico’s President Writes a Letter to Trump (With Postscript)
Note: Please read the "postscript" at the end. Last Friday, Trump took both U.S. lawmakers and the Mexican government by surprise when he tweeted: On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP. Trump added that the … [Read more...] about Mexico’s President Writes a Letter to Trump (With Postscript)