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Op-ed: Brutality with a smile

by Opinion • February 25, 2020

By Stewart B. Epstein

With the rise of the Far-Right and Radical-Right, we not only have the growth of Survival-of-the-Fittest Social Darwinism ideology in today’s national Republican Party featuring their desire not only to cut and reduce spending on all of the federal government social programs (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, and College Student Loans), but we also get their growing cold-hearted desire to abolish all of them.

And along with this, we get what Alfred Hitchcock referred to as “Brutality with a smile.”

An example of this was when Presidential candidate Donald Trump, during a televised Republican debate, literally mocked, made fun of, insulted, and humiliated candidate Carly Fiorina by saying “Look at that face!”

I still find it hard to believe that any human being could have been so cruel, sadistic, and abusive as to humiliate another human being like that, especially an accomplished woman who has lost a child to drug addiction and who has had to experience having a double mastectomy. This woman has suffered greatly in life, and did not deserve to be abused and publically humiliated like that.

But ultimately we are all held accountable and will be held accountable for how we have treated others in life.

I have now completed my opening statement.

About the author: Stewart B. Epstein is a retired college professor of sociology, social work, and psychology.

Filed Under: Opinion

1 comment for "Op-ed: Brutality with a smile"

  1. Scott Zierman says

    April 16, 2020 at 8:18 am

    If someone wants to help out disadvantaged people that is fine, but do not put a gun to my head and force me to help people that I don’t even know. Stop the social programs because our government can’t afford them, and it is not the government’s responsibility to feed people. Government is responsible only to make a safe environment for people in which to make a living for themselves. Beyond that, it is each individual’s duty to help out with those with whom he/she comes in contact who has a need. If you want to help people out then that is your right to do so, but do not force other’s to help out those whom they do not even know exist.

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