This is Barry the Liberal Claus, according to Tea Partier David Hedrick. (Photo Credit: CC BY-SA/Andrew Mager/Flickr)
Losing an election can bring out the Grinch in any politician, and defeated Washington State Tea Party Congressional candidate David Hedrick is no exception. Straight from the discard pile of Election 2010, Hedrick has come back swinging with a children’s book entitled “The Liberal Claus(e): Socialism on a Sleigh.” According to Newser, the book tells the tale of how Barry the Liberal Claus, wife Lichelle, Elf Peloosi and Mr. Snore ruin Christmas. The children of the Tea Party eventually save the day, with a little help from that hallowed document, the Christmastution.
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The North Pole Treasury is bankrupt, Hedrick told the Portland Mercury, so Barry the Liberal Claus borrows wherever he can, “eliminates toy specialists and commits other atrocities.” But once the elves unplug his teleprompter and wave copies of the Christmastution in his face, Barry flees the scene and leaves Christmas to appropriately conservative little Tea Party boys and girls. The underlying message, said Hedrick, is “Never forget that free goodies from liberal elves often come at a price.”
Satire, illustrated for childhood indoctrination
David Hedrick may have written “The Liberal Claus(e): Socialism on a Sleigh” in reaction to what he views as liberal indoctrination of America’s youth, but many critics question whether leaning to the opposite extreme is appropriate. Indoctrination of children – whether it be into politics or religion, topics philosophers consider deeply intertwined – has been openly criticized by noted authors and educators like Nicolas Humphrey, Daniel Dennett and Richard Dawkins. An example biologist Dawkins cites involves labels. Calling someone a “child of Christian parents” rather than “Christian child,” is significant. According to Wikipedia:
“Dawkins hopes that the phrase will also make children aware that belief is not something that is inherited automatically like eye color; that they do not have to follow in the religious footsteps of their family. He has tried to raise people’s consciousness of this matter, and hopes that phrases like ‘Christian child’, ‘Muslim child’, or ‘atheist child’ will ‘grate like fingernails on a blackboard.’”
Sales numbers for David Hedrick’s “The Liberal Claus(e): Socialism on a Sleigh” have not been made public as yet. Whether his message to children strikes a chord or grates like fingernails on a blackboard remains to be seen.
AWESOME ! Have to get myself a few copies to send to those Liberals that are still in Office.