What Is It, Willful Dyslexia?

 

The DTs, Part 2

Image by Daniel Dan outsideclick from Pixabay

Do you think Donald Trump is dumb?

He, of course, informed us he's "a very stable genius." On the other hand, he also offered us "covfefe."

His former national security adviser allegedly called him a "dope" and an "idiot." His former secretary of state supposedly called him a "moron." One of Trump's professors at Penn purportedly called him "the dumbest goddamn student I ever had."

I remember the analysis that came out while Trump was president declaring he speaks at a fourth-grade level. He puts my teeth on edge every time he opens his mouth, but to be fair, I don't know if that's because of the way he speaks or what he's saying. Pretty much spoiled for choice there.

I suspect most human beings, when disagreed with, tend to assume that the other person is stupid. We all have some Archie Bunker in us.

But in Trump's case, I do believe he's not so bright. I suspect he's gotten where he is by being smart enough, but mainly by being born into money and privilege that guaranteed him good schools, a way out of the draft and a nest egg. Equally important, he's propelled by negative emotions like greed, vanity, envy and lechery, and is utterly devoid of a conscience. He might even be a sociopath; he's certainly a narcissist.  Altogether, the man is as shallow as a spring puddle.

And yet, don't underestimate him. The nation made that mistake before. In one area he really is a genius, namely self-promotion. And he intuitively understood far before political experts that a large portion of America craves going low.

So my vote is Trump is of barely average intelligence, but is shot through with streaks of evil genius. Feel free to disagree with me. You dimwit.

Keeping Up WIth George

Image:  Facebook

Though he was expelled from Congress last December, George Santos had declared his intention to run again, this time in a different New York district and as an independent rather than a Republican.

But he announced this week on X that he's bowing out of the race. The openly gay Santos explained that he doesn't "want to split the ticket and be responsible for handing the house to Dems."

There's that selflessness for which the serial liar is so noted. He's making this decision for the good of the conservative movement, and certainly not because his campaign hasn't raised one red cent.

Santos signed off his post, "It’s only goodbye for now, I’ll be back."

He may be Brazilian, but I read that and heard an Austrian accent.

This Week's Quote

Image by WikiImages from Pixabay

The rumors about Trump farting are flying around thick and fast. I know he fell asleep in court again today, but because it’s Earth Day, I pray he was at least able to reduce his emissions.

Bette Midler

Source:  X

Earth Day

 

An oldie from Walt Kelly, my favorite cartoonist. Still painfully pertinent.

Hunting for the Good

Image:  Facebook

I've thought of something positive to say about Marjorie Taylor Greene. She makes Sarah Palin look classy.

At the Trump Trial

 

This Week's Quote

Image:  Facebook

LADY BRACKNELL:  To speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other's character before marriage, which I think is never advisable.

Oscar Wilde

Source:  The Importance of Being Earnest

And a Reasonably Priced One at That

 

Hitting the Books

Image:  Facebook

The American Library Association released a list of the 10 most challenged books in 2023.

Here's the upshot, from the ALA president: "In looking at the titles of the most challenged books from last year, it’s obvious that the pressure groups are targeting books about LGBTQIA+ people and people of color."

Folks tried to ban 4,240 titles in schools and libraries around the nation in 2023, a 65 percent jump from 2022, which was itself a record-breaking year.

We're in a maelstrom of censorship right now, courtesy of those who believe keeping kids from reading gay books will prevent them from being gay. That's not how things work. I don't recall reading any queer books growing up, and I still managed to attain full sapphic status.

I'll admit that, as a child, I loved "Harold and the Purple Crayon," but I'm pretty sure that doesn't count.

It Is to Ponder

 

This Week's Quote

Image by Ray Shrewsberry • from Pixabay

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we don't know where the hell she is.

Ellen DeGeneres

Source:  Brainy Quote

An Arizona Wow

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Yesterday the Arizona Supreme Court ruled the state can enforce a law criminalizing nearly all abortions.

The law is from 1864. Expect the Court to issue a strong statement of support for the Confederacy any day now.

Hard to Learn

Image by Sammy-Sander from Pixabay

You'd think I'd know better, as a queer person, than to stereotype, but every so often I need to learn the lesson anew.

Today as I stood in line at the post office my eyes fell on a middle-aged man being served at the counter. A girl of about 11 stood with him, and both appeared to be Latinx. He wore a shiny short-sleeved shirt that I assumed touted some team.

It did:  Team Lucifer.

I realized the shirt sported upside-down crosses, pentagrams, goat heads, a veritable satanic smorgasbord.

My assumption that I was looking at a stereotypically Catholic, Hispanic father and daughter vanished in a puff of sulfur. It was a startling reminder of how inaccurate it can be to turn people into cliches.

I've learned my lesson. And I'll retain it for a good 36 hours.

Rats

Image:  Facebook

This time Trump didn't look straight at the eclipse.

There goes my plan for saving democracy.

Enigmatic No More

 

This Week's Quote

Image:  Facebook

TRENT (spoken):

You can't cherry pick the bible,
Choosing which part you wanna believe

KAYLEE (spoken):
We don't do that

TRENT (spoken):
You don't? What's this?

(sung)
Kaylee has a small tattoo
That tattoo would be taboo
Kaylee guess what waits for you
An eternity in the fiery pits of hell

KAYLEE (spoken):
Hey!

TRENT:
Shelby, you seem sweet to me
But if it has come to be
You've lost your virginity
We'll be stoning you and your family as well

"Love Thy Neighbor" from "The Prom"

Source:  The Musical Lyrics

Last Sunday

Transgender Day of Visibility is observed annually on March 31. This year it happened to coincide with Easter. So when President Biden issued a proclamation in honor of TDOV, a number of conservatives spluttered that he'd hijacked the holiest Christian holiday just to show support for transgender people.

Some were so irate they practically accused Biden of sacrificing Jesus all over again.

The ruckus made me glad that I'm not a Christian. I belong to a Unitarian Universalist church whose spring festival for children and youth on Sunday was billed as "Celebrating Easter and Trans Day of Visibility." Activities included an Easter egg hunt and a drag queen story hour.

Conservatives are none too fond of Unitarian Universalists, either.

I Regress

Image:  Facebook

Normally I'm the soul of maturity.

Except when the University of South Carolina plays Oregon State University, which happened yesterday in the NCAA women's basketball tournament.

When those two schools face off, something compels me to alert everyone that it's the Cocks vs. the Beavers.