Ari Ioannides kicked off his new column with a benign attempt to extend his arm to the community. He likened the members of his political family to porcupines— the passive, much maligned critter that seeks to live a prosperous life in peace, though it’s quite capable of taking care of itself and will do so with remarkable effectiveness when the perils of the wild invade its quietude. Many of the responses to the commentary were unfortunately predictable, mostly just partisan quips deriding Ari’s affiliation with such a contemptible lot as those Republicans. Deplorables, one might say. The most vociferous tribal attack came from Mr. Novak’s letter in which he completely ignored the premise of Ari’s conciliatory comments in order to deride all Republicans as … you guessed it: Racists! Rapists! Hitler! And most abhorrent of all, federalists!Mr. Novak asserts that because a majority of Americans (including a record number of minorities) elected Donald Trump as president — and Trump is super duper bad — then all Republicans are de facto Nazis. Obviously, when one walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, one must by necessity be a card-carrying Klan member.Well, if Republicans are porcupines that look and sound like rapacious ducks, what is the spirit animal of those who gleefully take each available opportunity to denigrate every dweller of their shared habitat who has the temerity to think differently than them? Mind you, I’m not referring to the average American non-Republican. I lack the hubris to claim all Trump detractors are monolithic ideologically. Rather I refer to those among us who exhibit a virulent contempt in their dealings with those of a differing philosophical persuasion. One might call them Woke Karens.So, which creature should be crowned Woke Karen of the Wild?The skunk! A small varmint with distinctive hair which will readily spew a cloud of toxicity upon any poor hapless dope foolish enough to blunder too near. Unlike the docile porcupine, skunks will eagerly discharge their poison into the face of any perceived threat not inclusive to its own sect. As it rears its hostile tail it can often be heard yelling “homophobe” or “bigot” though it has no real sense of its opponents feelings on the matter. To be even tangentially associated with the skunks ancestral orange arch nemesis is offense enough.Actual skunks at least have an evolutionary excuse for their noxious behavior. They don’t want to be eaten. Skunks of the woke variety have no such justification. They have dominated Western society for a decade at this point. No, the woke skunk is not merely seeking to exist in peace and solitude. It is contending to impose its pungent odor upon the entire forest. Unwittingly (or not) driving every inhabitant out of the trees and into the arms of a honey badger. A honey badger named Donald J. Trump.Moral of the story: If making the world a better place is your goal, maybe don’t squirt your disdain and contempt in half of your neighbors’ faces while furiously asserting moral superiority. And if you can’t stop, won’t stop — don’t be surprised when the forest animals choose a “standard bearer” willing to fight, fight, fight back.Tory WelchHoytsvilleThe post Speaking of skunks appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less