Ashtrays - 70 years on

 Harry S Truman was the President of the United  States when I was born (1952).

Some federal museum in Washington recreated the presidential office as Truman used it, and recently I saw a photo of it.

A tidy desk with a small desk sign is among the objects taking up surface space. Famously the sign reads:

"the buck stops here"

from the phrase 'pass the buck' - referencing a convention in some poker games to use a buck horn (handle) knife to mark who had the deal

The desk intrigued me for other reasons.
There, a bit to my surprise was an ashtray. You know, for holding tobacco cigarette ashes and butts.
Actually there were 3 ashtrays on the one main desk unless I miss my guess. And for good measure at least one other ashtray is visible on the credenza behind the desk chair. Four, count 'em, ashtrays within the reach of the chair's occupant.

One may safely assume that Truman in office was the very exemplar of appropriate American culture and values. Smoking was obviously OK by him.

Somehow though, the masses seem to be experiencing some collective amnesia about the former prevalence of smoking, and the huge implications of that prevalence.

Collective amnesia is all the rage these days.
Residential school issues come to mind, along with gender and race matters.

Historical revisionism is ascendant.
Leading to manifestations of a Cancel Culture.
How sad and misguided.