These last four years have been drenched in a divisive moral fog that is as ubiquitous as it is mercurial - we live in a poorly written episode of the Twilight Zone where Nazis roam the streets, mature leadership is but a memory, and our collective sanity is held to ransom by technocratic warlords.
So what does it say about our current moment that a film created in 1943, before the civil Rights movement, before the dawn of the modern progressive politics, is still just as prescriptive as any modern wisdom?
"Don't Be a Sucker", an educational film created by the United States Department of War, is a stark reminder that we as a free democratic people have had the quickened hearts of anti-racism and anti-fascism since long before a victory over Nazi Germany was assured in 1945.
The film follows, "An American Freemason who has been listening to a racist and bigoted rabble-rouser, who is preaching hate speech against ethnic and religious minorities and immigrants, is warned off by a naturalized Hungarian immigrant, a Holocaust survivor, who explains to him how such rhetoric and demagoguery allowed the Nazis to rise to power in Weimar Germany, and warns Americans not to fall for similar demagoguery propagated by American racists and bigots."
"Don't Be a Sucker" outlines the freedoms that were being fought for, and the character of a democratic people saying that America thrives because it is filled with, "Free people. They can live together and work together and build America together because they're free. Free to vote, to say what they please, to go to their own churches and to choose their own jobs…"
This muscular democratic vision also captures the very core of what makes the United States the place of profound vision that foreigners Thomas Paine and Alexis De Tocqueville wrote of so powerfully. A nation that finds strength in its diverse citizenry, a nation that leads by example and virtue, not fear mongering and disinformation. A nation that knows itself, and through that self knowledge is not shaken by the tides of fortune, but welcomes each new challenge as a horizon yet to be ventured into.
Trust in each other is the vital element that holds all democratic peoples in the right - but where trust is eroded, fear enters. Where fear abides, hate follows - and when hatred seeps into the heart of an electorate, there can be no forward motion until the poison is drawn from the wound.
So as we enter this uncertain stage of the democratic experiment, it can be heartening to remind ourselves of the rough, hopeful and clear roots from which the tree of liberty draws its identity.
Quite frankly, if the quarrel is between draft dodgers, spouting bigotry and living in fear of their fellow man — and those who stormed the beaches in Normandy in the name of this freedom - I'd say the choice is clear.
Watch the film here.
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
Juicy subject matter
Giphy from The Blacklist.
We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.