Last week, I took notice when, on the front page of the Local, I was confronted with “Das Good Cafe co-owner faces deportation.” I supposed I should commend the Local for displaying a characteristic so rare in today’s media landscape: an iota of journalistic integrity. I have come to expect many publications to “gloss over” certain details in favor of pushing a narrative, but there it was, “Anou was charged with multiple counts of lewd or lascivious molestation, exhibition, misconduct, and child abuse,” albeit (conveniently) this missed the front page and was buried deeper in the article. I wonder if this was intentional.

Now, personally, I’m of the opinion that, as a productive member of the community who has admitted to and paid for his crimes, he [Anou Vongbandith] should be allowed to stay. However, what amazes me is what appears to be a mixture of outrage around the decision to deport him and the celebration of him as an upstanding citizen.

As someone who has never voted for Trump (or a Republican, for that matter), I think we have lost all hope when even the crime of “child molestation” cannot outweigh one’s hatred of Donald Trump. I tuly believe that if the “orange menace” were to cure cancer, many in Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy would decide to be pro-cancer.

James Butler

Wyndmoor

Ed. note: the charges against Vongbandith were not deliberately moved to the second page. The article’s jump occurred at the fold per our regular design.