Exactly right

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child protective services raid; say goodbye to little nell

Ironically, I was out in the woods stalking Bambi’s extended family yesterday — opening day, dontcha know — and didn’t have an opportunity to comment on this, but David Strom did, and did it well.

(Bambi’s parents are both doing far better than Peanut, by the way, at least until Monday. There were a couple of noisy wild squirrels however, probably rabid, so ….)

David Strom Why Peanut the Squirrel Matters

If you live on Twitter/X (or any of the social media platforms), you will likely have heard the story of Peanut the Squirrel. 

Peanut has been a social media celebrity for seven years. An animal rescue nonprofit was built around him, saving hundreds of animals, from rodents to horses, from abuse, neglect, or simply bad luck. His story and his antics charmed millions of people, and helped people escape from the grittier and nastier realities of living in an unforgiving world. 

Until the New York government decided to raid his home and kill him. They executed a search warrant, trashed a home, seized him and his buddy Fred the Raccoon, and executed them next. 

In the midst of the decisive election campaign of our lifetimes, why talk about Peanut the Squirrel? Aren't there more important issues like the polls, turnout, shenanigans, and all the day's news?

Yes, all those things matter. But the story of Peanut matters because it is a microcosm of what we are facing. A nameless, faceless, and merciless bureaucracy with no sense of proportion or empathy can, at a whim, upend people's lives over what amounts to nothing. It can seize a beloved family pet, the mascot of an organization that does enormous good, just because some nanny-stater decides they don't approve.