Cartoonists Conspiracy by Clay Jones
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22 years ago, at a convention for the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) (probably in Denver, Sacramento, Washington, DC, or Long Island, who can remember these things?), someone mentioned the president. It was 2003, so of course, the president was George W. Bush.
Someone at the bar (because these things are always in a bar) said, “If you think Shrub is dumb, wait until Donald Trump is president. Another cartoonist, probably someone named Steve, replied, “What? Are you out of your gourd? After this disaster of a presidency, there’s no way America would elect another idiot, especially one as vulgar and gross as Donald Trump.”
Then a cartoonist, probably named Matt, said, “But what if we elect a Black guy as president, and he’s decent, kind, accomplished, intelligent, with an equally intelligent wife, and they both have high morals and beautiful and smart daughters, the presidency is hugely successful?” And then a cartoonist named Dick says, “My God, you’re right, Matt!” Another Matt said, “What?” And Dick said, “Not you, Matt. The other Matt.” Other Matt says, “Huh?” Dick says, “Yes, you. You’re right. If we have a Black president and he’s a great success, Republicans and other racists will lose their minds!” (snip-MORE)
Scottie's Playtime 
“Republicans and other racists will lose their minds!” Yes they did.
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they lost those minds long long before that. We just didn’t notice.
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Some might have been clinging to it but got swept away.
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Hi Roger. What I don’t understand and what bothers me is that prior to tRump’s first term the country was moving fast more progressive and more accepting. The rights and equality of minorities and the LGBTQ+ were gaining more respect and acceptance. The haters / racists felt the need to hide who they were and what they felt / thought. It was not accepted in society.
Then tRump ran on racism and bigotry and got elected. But still even though those bigots, haters, and racist felt more embolden they did not have much power other than their constant complaining about “liberals” taking away their rights. What rights, the right to oppressing and persecuting of others not like them.
What is shocking me is in the second term in less than 7 months he has illegally rolled back hard earned rights of minorities and the LGBTQ+ community. They have destroyed the school anti-bullying programs that taught acceptance and tolerance of those different from the majority. They have instead tried to return to the 1970s / 1980s when kids not in the majority or thought to be were targeted for horrible abuse and violence. In 7 months the extreme hateful bigots / racist in the trump admin has managed to make acceptable every racist bigoted trope and attack on those not white cis straight Christian male at all levels of society. What is worse they are destroying the methods and avenues used to make that progress. They seem driven to return the US public social appearance to the 1950s when white men were at the highest level of society, the Christian church was accepted as the highest moral source never to be questioned no matter what a child said happened to them, where women were dependent on men for all financial security so complete subservient to the males over them, that black people knew their lower place and stayed there, and the LGBTQ+ were hidden not to be seen in public society and terrified to be found out which would cause them to be social outcasts losing everything they had.
My point is all the progress has been wiped out that quickly in just 7 months. All institutions along with all the main stream older media has fallen in line doing as the tRump admin demands to return to those regressive times. It feels like tRump along with his religious extremest racist bigots managed to turn the country back to when I was a child and it is seriously depressing. It so reminds me of how the Hitler people went on a burning spree destroying anything not supporting a cis straight racially pure society. It took destroying all advances in science, social acceptance, and bending media to spew the hate pushed by the government. I am sad and depressed. I have seen all the work of my lifetime gaining full equality being wiped out. It was only with in the last few years when I mentioned my spouse I did not get the reply “She …..” to when the person instead said “They ….” Hugs
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Scottie, we were progressing, yes, but there is always backlash. Always. And there was plenty throughout. Then when Trump was elected, the nazis all came out because they were not only empowered but allowed. Also they’re heavily armed. During that time, and during Biden’s term as well, they have managed to not only intimidate opposition, but to intimidate their own side. And now we are where we are, because the majority of we the people didn’t bother to stop this back in the 90s after Tim McVeigh, Eric Rudolph, Randy Weaver, etc. That has allowed these times.
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