Very Fine People

VERY FINE PEOPLE… It’s never too soon to start campaigning, it seems, and Squid is already seeing marketing from gubernatorial candidates for the 2026 election. One, Kyle Langford – whose campaign address is a P.O. box in Marina – promises on his website “a better than ever California is within reach.” Read further, however, and he plans to reach back – way back to some dark ages.

“California was historically a Catholic state, shaped by Spanish missions that introduced agriculture, education and community values foundational to its early growth,” Langford’s website states. “Our campaign focuses on revitalizing these Catholic foundations.”

There’s no mention of separation of church and state, or of the forced conversion and assimilation of Indigenous people – but maybe that’s exactly what Langford means. On July 26, he posted on X with a photo of himself in front of the gate to Auschwitz, with the caption: “My 0% Unemployment Plan.”

His economic plan is… a Nazi extermination camp?

Squid, aghast, reached out to Langford, who according to his social media, is based in Los Angeles. (Squid’s colleague emailed but didn’t hear back, and calls to his campaign number did not go through.)

If Squid does get through to Langford, Squid’s question mostly is: Have you been invited to the White House yet?

ART HEIST… As Squid was oozing down the social media rabbit hole of neo-Nazi messaging on X (see above), Squid came upon the account of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which posts often. Some posts champion Alligator Alcatraz, others slam the so-called liberal media. Mugshots are recurring, as are pieces of fine art, posted with brief captions. One that was posted on July 1 shows “Morning Pledge” by Thomas Kinkade, an artwork depicting kids on a rainy sidewalk, with an American flag waving ahead of them. “Protect the Homeland,” DHS added.

The Thomas Kinkade Family Foundation posted its own statement objecting. “We strongly condemn the sentiment expressed in the post and the deplorable actions that DHS continues to carry out.”

Turns out the “painter of light,” as Kinkade was known in and beyond Carmel, one place where he painted, didn’t want his work associated with dark objectives. The foundation also notes another problem: The use of Kinkade’s copyrighted painting was unauthorized. It should seem ironic for DHS, which is all about ensuring proper authorization for anyone entering the U.S. – apparently nobody’s checking for authorization to yank images from the internet.

DHS can expect to hear from attorneys representing the Kinkade foundation, asking the agency to show their papers. We all already know their answer: They don’t have any.