A trip to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angles has taught me that words have power and that I have been very irresponsible with my language. Free speech, I'm all for it, but what if someone's incendiary words trigger violent outbursts that result in deaths, hate crimes, and terrorism? We have to take responsibility for our words if they are going to be read by the American masses.
What about this blog? I can still write what I want, right? I can, because my readers are smart. They know, that even though I may call for the death of admissions officers at a certain north eastern American college, that it would be in fact unwise of them to go drag these scumbags out onto the streets and beat them until the blood runs red. You see, we are all very bright. God may will the deaths of these people, but just because what we are doing what is right, does not mean that society is ready for these righteous actions.
My following is not huge, in fact, your numbers are so small, that the odds of their being even a single easily influenced and unstable fellow among you are quite unlikely. Now if I was on cable TV, or had a book on the best sellers list, and I published and posted maps to this school where the administration works hours each day trying to prevent me from becoming a financial success, an all out attack on these offices would surely place some blood on my hands.
Irresponsibility... the museum - and it was awesome - had a lighted bulletin that displayed news stories of dangerous words that are too current to actually be part of the exhibits. On the bulletin: the news that European newspapers are publishing cartoon pictures of the Prophet Muhammad with his turban being a bomb. It is an offensive cartoon and the world would be better of without it ever having being printed because of the violence that is a direct result of the reaction to it.
Of course with that attitude, do we have to police everything that might be controversial because it might provoke a bad reaction? No, the bomb cartoon is different for one big reason. It sucks. It's the dumbest cartoon I've ever heard of. "Let's see, I think Muslims are terrorists. What do they look like? They wear turbans! Who is the king of Arabs? Prophet Muhammad! What is a symbol of terror? A bomb! How can we combine the two? A bomb in the turban! Ha Ha Ha". This is like the first political cartoon a racist sixth grader would draw for the school paper. Even in the Midwest, or somewhere like that, the teacher would say, "now Billy, I know you want to make a point, but we can't publish this..." The drawing screams of hatred, and it's not funny no matter how twisted you are and how much you like to push taboos. The reason? Cause it's not sophisticated enough to be funny. If anyone can think it up, it's not funny. Funny people should make cartoons, people with talent, not just rudimentary drawing skills and a limited imagination.
This cartoon is NOT the cartoon I'm talking about, it's just one I found in an internet search, but it proves just how unoriginal the crap I'm talking about is. At least THIS cartoon manages to poke fun at the "What Would Jesus Drive" anti-suv campaign at the same time, so it's far more sophisticated, but at the heart of it, it's still garbage.
Political cartoonists, why do you draw? To express your opinion which you surely believe is right. I no longer understand the point of preaching to the choir. No one on the other side is going to be won over by hateful and insulting drawings. You are not winning any converts to your cause. Maybe if you could be just a bit clever.
Next subject:
Can't a Muslim man get a break? This time it's the crazy protests over the cartoons. Protesting the cartoon is all well and good, but this is getting out of hand and if I was Arab I'd get sick of saying "I'm not like those crazy guys." Even in the movie Crash the Middle Eastern man comes of like a bastard and that's supposed to be an anti-racist movie. Michael Moore sold out Arabs to try to get people not to vote for Bush by showing how chummy Bush and certain Saudis are in an extended sequence. The message: Arabs are demons and Bush is in league with them. I know the movie was partially intended to stop the war effort, which could save Iraqi lives, but to use American Muslim-phobia to sell them on the deal is plain shitty. I plan to make a political cartoon of my own on this issue.
I'm sorry if I scared anyone with my militant talk at the begging of this entry. You see, I spend all day listening to punk rock records about insurrection and revolution, though I'm not stupid enough to think that any of these bands are going to take up arms or even attend a protest. They are two busy selling t-shirts and CDs so it's just a bunch of bullshit preaching with the bottom line being the money. Those pussies never do time while anarchists listen to their CDs in the car on the way to committing crimes against the government. Well maybe not anymore, punk is not very inspiring these days.
Right now I'm pissed because I keep getting warnings from the Homeowners Association about my mess down in the basement. I swear, if they both me once more, the people will rise up and head will roll. We will then put these heads on sticks for all to throw stones at.
1 comment:
How dare you post that cartoon! What would HeartattaCk think?
Post a Comment