On Friday, December 18 The Washington Post took up most of a page printing an Ann Telnaes editorial cartoon naming Republican officials who she claims are guilty of sedition by openly calling for an overturning of a constitutional election.
Conservative media found a talking point to express their displeasure with the cartoon when Fox contributor Steve Milloy voiced a comparison they could latch on to:
Using rats as a means to depict one’s enemy is a longstanding tradition among cartoonists. Nazi Germany depicted the Jewish community as rats in propaganda pieces, Fox News contributor Steve Milloy noted.
A Daily Caller article continues with a cartoon history of rats and humans:
An American satirical magazine titled “Puck” ran with a cartoon showing immigrants as vermin in 1909, according to The Guardian. The U.S. used the symbol in WWII against Japan, as well.
Depicting human beings as vermin was also used during former President Andrew Jackson’s administration. One cartoon titled “The rats leaving a falling house” shows Jackson seated in a chair with various cabinet member “rats” scurrying about his feet.
Within hours TownHall had taken up the Nazi comparison.
Later The Daily Wire was also shocked that an editorial cartoonist had belittled politicians:
This was not the first time Telnaes had termed someone on the other side of the political aisle as a “rat.” In early December, that’s how she depicted Attorney General William Barr. Just before the November election, she depicted Trump alone while a group of rats ran away from him, titling the cartoon, “Trump’s Rat’s Nest.”
In January 2020, she suggested changing the symbol of the Republican Party from the traditional elephant to a rat. In April 2019, Telnaes drew Trump as the devil.
So… Hitler invented the rat metaphor? Damn, I thought it was created by Art Spiegelman. Live and learn. But the metaphor just might be inappropriate nonetheless: real rats jump the ship.
Oh Lord help us, NOW they get all politically correct? Give me a break.
This matter, and leftist’s defense of Telnaes’ use of Nazi imagery, speaks to the increasing popularity of anti-Semitism on the American Left.
Wait! I’ve been puzzling over this for days and I just had a breakthrough! I see the logic: the Nazis called Jews degenerate, I call Trump degenerate, therefore I’m a Nazi. Or, in more formal and general terms:
1. Anti-Semites say bad things about Jews.
2. I say bad things about Trump.
3. Hence I’m an anti-Semite.
There it is! Hoist by my own petard!
Am I sure this is the right logic? Let’s see:
Anti-Semites called Jews rats.
Ann Telnaes called Trumpers deserting the Trump ship rats.
So Ann Telnaes is anti-Semitic.
Yup. It works. And I always thought so highly of her!