Ever since Jim Seeber and I interviewed the Aberdeen Chief of Police concerning the Morgan Lewis case, and wrote a summary of that interview for the American News, Todd Epp has been calling us the "NSU Hardy Boys." Now I am not sure whether Todd is still angry with us for daring to ask questions about something neither we nor the public are qualified to think about, or whether he just can't afford to let go of his one clever idea this year. But I confess I have been looking for a comparable epponym for the good lawyer.
While breezing through Sioux Falls this morning on route to God's Country, I saw that Mr. Epp had given me one. This from the Argus Leader:
Two area lawyers and an Augustana College academic delved into the murky waters of comparing George Orwell's book, "1984," and post 9-11 America and examining individual freedoms Thursday night. . . . Todd Epp, a Harrisburg lawyer, political consultant and writer, said the book's three slogans - war is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength - fit the Bush administration. The first slogan is mirrored in U.S. foreign policy, and the last matches the Cabinet's actions of keeping the public and press at bay to benefit the government.
So our "Harrisburg Lawyer, political consultant and writer" now deems himself a professor, qualified to comment on literature. Welcome to the profession, Professor Epp, Doctor of Thinkology.
But before we conclude that the scarecrow's hat does not just enclose straw after all, let me point out the argument above is absurd. A reasonable person may well conclude that the Bush Administration policy is eroding civil liberties, though this reasonable person would disagree. No reasonable person could suppose that the newspeak slogans of 1984 "fit" this or any other administration. If Bush cannot control the New York Times, if he is in serious danger of losing control of the House to Nancy Pelosi, there is not the most remote fit between Bush and Big Brother. It seems that liberals cannot even imagine real totalitarianism, except as a brush to tar their opponents with. Orwell could imagine it. So can I. Herr Docktor Epp is clueless.
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