George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States, passed away on November 30. And today, December 5, the Google logo has been grayed out in his honor.
Bush Sr. died at the age of 94, and his life was filled with acts of public service, from enlisting as a fighter pilot in World War II at the age of 18 to serving two terms as Ronald Reagan's vice president, UN ambassador, a two-term congressman, and a one-term president of the United States. However, despite his lifetime of service, his death was met with mixed reactions.
While many mourned the president, including Donald Trump who published a long statement earlier this week, a great deal of people remained critical of his life and policies, many of which targeted communities of color and other vulnerable members of society.
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Bush Sr. served as president during some of the worst years of the AIDS epidemic, and many feel that he let down those who were suffering. These feelings were further aggravated by the fact that the Bush Sr. passed away the day before World Aids Day.
The former president also played a pivotal role in escalating the 'war on drugs,' an initiative that has taken an unimaginable toll on communities of color in this country. Bush Sr. also used youth of color as pawns to further his drug agenda, and was also inhospitable to the LGBTQ community. The deceased president has also been accused of sexual assault by multiple women.
Though usually, Google doodles are colorful and bright, for Bush Sr., the approach was far more somber. And while Google usually releases a blog post for its colorful Doodles, when clicking through today’s funereal Doodle one is simply led to Google search results for the former president. The rationale behind today’s different Doodle approach remain unknown, but, regardless of how you may feel about Bush Sr., today’s Doodle is certainly a cause for reflection.