Doris, my beloved pet raccoon dog, has been working night and day, using her smartphone to learn English. The Dogolingo app is a fantastic teaching tool for animals who need to learn a second language. Doris feels singled out, and sold out. “It’s not my fault covid-19 spread from China to Europe and the United States,” she says. “I’ve been masking, and have had all my vaccinations, same as you and nearly everyone else. And it’s still possible it was a lab error, and not the fault of my species. Heck, Bruce, no one even heard of raccoon dogs until the blame game heated up like it did.”

“Why, Doris,” I replied, “we’ve both tested negative for the virus. No one blames Donald Duck or the Road Runner for spreading avian flu. I’m wondering if it is because China is siding with Russia in the war against Ukraine that this ‘origin of the pandemic’ unpleasantness is back in the news. I’m wondering if this is propaganda intended to get Americans angry with China.”

“I was thinking that, too,” Doris said. “The U.S. is giving aid to Ukraine, and China, our so-called ‘trading partner,’ is favoring the other side. What a crummy working relationship.”

“They intended all along to put our consumer products industries out of business, and put us in a weak economic position. You’re so right, Doris, to feel indignant about what appears to be vicious propaganda.”

Scapegoating innocent raccoon dogs. It makes Doris and me sad.

Bruce Reisner

Perry South

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