An Ill Wind of Change

1980s pop culture was filled with reminders of the existential threat posed by the Soviet Union, some of it jingoistic (Rocky IV comes to mind), and some of it deeply chilling, such as the Sting song “Russians” referenced in the first panel. Like many in my generation, I internalized the idea that being an American meant living in a democracy, however flawed, that existed in opposition to the worst dictatorships. As I grew older, I became increasingly aware of ways in which the US failed to live up to these democratic ideals (hence the political cartooning career). Yet even after all we’ve been through, it’s still shocking for me to see America reject our European allies and embrace Putin’s Russia.

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