Soapbox

The far-right has finally devolved into childlike behavior. Big Bird had the audacity to state that he had received the COVID vaccine and his wing was a little sore. According to Business Insider: “Texas Senator Ted Cruz critically responded to Big Bird’s tweet, accusing the character of promoting propaganda.” Newsmax, Fox and other right-wing pundits also tweeted, criticizing the Sesame Street character and calling it propaganda. No one had an issue in 1972 when Big Bird got a measles shot, but Richard Nixon was the president and Fox, Newsmax, etc. didn’t exist.

This got me thinking about “promoting propaganda.” I have a number of clients and acquaintances that have told me they “home school” their children as they don’t want them “indoctrinated” by public school. When I asked them if they sent their children to Sunday or Bible school, they said yes. They didn’t or don’t get the irony and hypocrisy.

A search for Bible school lessons will give you more than 71 million results. There are programs for pre-school, elementary school, middle school, high school, teens, tweens, girls, etc. If I recall correctly from catechism exposure at an early age, the “teaching” went something like this: “Who made you? God made me. Who made the world? God made the world.” When I asked “Who made God?” I was told I couldn’t ask that question. Don’t get me started on Noah, Hell, The Rapture, Satan, Fear of God or women’s rights. Question: “What’s your definition of propaganda?”

Big Bird encouraging children to get measles or COVID vaccinations on top of the other multiple vaccinations that are required to go to school is not propaganda. It’s common sense. Ted Cruz’s children attend St. John’s School in Houston. They require seven vaccinations covering 11 diseases. Unfortunately, not the COVID vaccine. Not yet.

– Craig S. Chisesi, Rifle

First turns

Uplifted to snow Gliding down after soaring White ribbon of hope – Karen Carver, Durango

Clamp down on crime

Police departments in major cities, even in Durango, will more than likely take a report after thieves are gone with merchandise worth up to $100,000 or more. Photo ops from powers-that-be that make unrealistic promises in keeping law and order does not cut it.

A costly,yet effective solution,would be to keep the thief or thieves inside the store with their bags of loot. State-of-the-art systems to lock-down doors and windows that can’t be shot out are possible in this day and age. A back entry into each department store/gallery could allow SWAT to show up and take out those holding bags of stolen goodies.

We need professional law enforcement and savvy people to use their own common sense to protect their homes and businesses. And please, Washington D.C. lawmakers, don’t encourage under age trigger-happy wanna be “patrollers,” such as Kyle Rittenhouse (acquitted recently from killing two people), with a mother who deserved jail time for ignoring the legal importance of a curfew and obviously lacks other parenting skills. – Sally Florence, Durango