‘1984’ offers warning

for the present day

I remember reading “1984” in the early 1960s. I recall thinking what was being addressed was what was happening in the old Soviet Union: the silencing of dissent, iron-fisted rule by dictators and imprisonment of anyone caught not toeing party lines.

I am recalling these memories because of the Sept. 13 column “Book learning” by Michael Shaffer and Charles Tuite. I was struck by how appropriate the timing was. The authors wrote: “The book shows the conflict between total control and individual freedom.”

The Trump administration has begun to rewrite history. It is purging much of the history regarding slavery from the Smithsonian. It has removed sections of the Arlington National Cemetery pamphlet that honor Blacks, Hispanics and women.

One can

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