In the words of Charlie Brown, “Rats.”
Such may be the response of many Republicans to The Washington Post.
On Friday, the paper seemed to indicate a less-than-favorable view of the GOP.
Its editorial cartoonist, Ann Telnaes, crafted a comic of “All of the state attorneys general and U.S. Congress members who collaborated with President Trump in his attempt to subvert the Constitution and stay in office.”
Such depiction of said cohorts was accomplished by a generous display of long-tailed, sneaky-lookin’ rodents:
Published in the Washington Post today, all of the Republican state attorneys general and U.S. Congressman assisting Donald Trump in his attempt to overthrow an election. DEPICTED AS THE RATS THEY ARE!#MAGAIsCancelled #TrumpIsANationalDisgrace pic.twitter.com/a0emQgwyY9
— 🌊🇺🇸🌊𝓣𝓸𝓷𝔂(31 Days)𝓥𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓪🌊🇺🇸🌊 (@realTonyVentura) December 19, 2020
It wasn’t Ann’s first use of many a cat’s delectable delight:
Opinion | Trump’s rat’s nest
Hopefully President Trump's ship has started to sinkhttps://t.co/2C1NSYOlWP pic.twitter.com/TnsP1Ickew
— Ann Telnaes (@AnnTelnaes) November 3, 2020
We’ve seen the comparison elsewhere as well:
@TheJusticeDept Barr is just another 🐀 RAT jumping @realDonaldTrump ‘s inevitably SINKING 🚢 SHIP‼️@BidenWarRoom @washingtonpost pic.twitter.com/wWUrncuiVZ
— charabia (@charabia539) December 15, 2020
Bill Barr should resign or be fired, but I'm sure it will never happen. These rodents have burrowed deep into the government and the only way we are going to get them out of DC is to Vote Trump and the other republicans out of office this November 3rd! pic.twitter.com/lqz21PasUb
— JOSEPH EICHER (@JOSEPHEICHER) July 29, 2020
But some online noted a disturbing parallel.
Rats, they suggested, were a means by which to dehumanize.
And in the past, such employment hasn’t taken us to a wonderful place:
“According to researchers, comparing people to rodents is the language used before a Genocide happens.”
According to researchers, comparing people to rodents is the language used before a Genocide happens.
The top “story” on the Washington Post is a cartoon comparing Republicans to rats. pic.twitter.com/wozP6WTa2q
— Cerno (@Cernovich) December 20, 2020
Washington Post listing “Republican Rats”
I feel like this has happened before. pic.twitter.com/FD0FXrGwIT
— Dr. Smith (@Airixmyth) December 20, 2020
— Washington Post is Nazi Propaganda (@cathandler) December 20, 2020
One post asked a startling question:
“The first newspaper is from Germany, the second from todays Washington Post. The snakes eat rats. Who are the snakes?”
The first newspaper is from Germany, the second from todays Washington Post. The snakes eat rats. Who are the snakes? pic.twitter.com/Ez2zI2zgoO
— κρυμμένο στο βράχο (@hiddeninthecrag) December 20, 2020
As reported by The Daily Wire, in January, Ann suggested changing the Republican symbol from an elephant to a rat.
And in April of last year, over the issue of abortion, she drew Donald Trump as Satan.
Ann’s a very accomplished artist — she won the Pulitzer in 2001.
But she’s not known for a complimentary take on Red State representatives.
In December 2015, Ted Cruz released an ad in which he read “How Obama Stole Christmas” to his 7- and 4-year-old daughters.
In response, Ann drew the children as monkeys.
The cartoon was quickly kiboshed.
Washington Post retracts cartoon that depicts Cruz's daughters as trained monkeys: https://t.co/Bqx9O9GB4T pic.twitter.com/dk49MA5tnG
— The Hill (@thehill) December 23, 2015
Classy. @washingtonpost makes fun of my girls. Stick w/ attacking me–Caroline & Catherine are out of your league. https://t.co/N61ys6z8w1
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 22, 2015
The animator defended her inclusion of the kids:
“When a politician uses his children as political props, as Ted Cruz recently did in his Christmas parody video in which his eldest daughter read (with her father’s dramatic flourish) a passage of an edited Christmas classic, then I figure they are fair game.”
Ted Cruz has put his children in a political ad- don't start screaming when editorial cartoonists draw them as well. https://t.co/7hafBacOiK
— Ann Telnaes (@AnnTelnaes) December 22, 2015
Back to rats — and putting celebrated artist Ann and her intent wholly aside — it seems to me the general issue’s worthy food for thought.
As for a removal of humanity, increasingly, that appears to be our political norm.
In this new atmosphere, no longer are people on opposite sides of the aisle Americans who happen to disagree. Conservatism seems in the process of being #Canceled on moral grounds.
Such a move can’t be good for the country, no matter the partisan direction it’s aimed.
The beauty of a land of liberty is that people can differ in view. Without that being the case, liberty ceases to exist.
Here’s to hoping we can change our direction.
Otherwise, in our race toward the elimination of opposition — the rat race, if you will — the very idea of America’s going to end up exterminated.
-ALEX
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