And then I wrote...

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that when northeast Iowa escaped the heavy snow experienced by many other areas of the state, with up to a foot or more of snow while we had nothing. I admit to the feeling that the Germans have a word for, schadenfreude, that is, enjoying the misfortune of others. So many times in a normal winter, it is the other way around, and we get the snow while they do not.

But then, this morning I heard the forecasts for the Easter weekend, which included the possibility of more snow somewhere around here, perhaps an April fool trick on us?

Easter is a moveable feast, and weather can range from a snow storm to a summer day, no matter whether Easter is early or late.

Speaking of Easter, I saw a story about a book for children written by the vice-president’s wife and their daughter, about their pet rabbit.

Nobody could object to a book for kids, right?

Wrong.

Apparently some critics feel compelled to put out a book in which the bunny is either homosexual, or trans-gender, or something else, to counteract the Pence book, in which the households bunny probably follows the Pence life choices.

I am reminded of critics who object to the fact that cartoon character Donald Duck doesn’t wear pants, or suggest that Snow White is co-habitating with seven male dwarfs.

There were a couple examples in Sunday’s dailies of what we were taught in high school debate. We were told it was the responsibility of the first affirmative to define the terms which would be debated, lest the first negative have the opportunity to do so.

The newspaper in this case is the first affirmative.

So one headline read to the effect that a “support program” is threatened. Turns out, what is being considered is doing away with a large $2.8 million cost for a mental health program, a high level of support.

The other describes how a religious charity organization is hiring more lawyers to “help immigrants.” The story hints most of the effort is to give asylum to illegals, to help with immigration efforts of relatives, and assist those here without permission to get green cards. Replacing “immigrants” with “illegal aliens” would have changed the debate topic.

It is hard to agree on anything if you can’t even agree on the definition of terms.