TGIF Lite Post
Friday, 29. May 2009
Cartoons and Political Activism
Editorial Cartoons, also known as political cartoons, can be powerful and effective in explaining political issues and current events. Cartoons can evoke compassion and ignite outrage. They can promote ideals and act as catalysts to propel action for change through creative use of visual art.
They help shape public opinion (positively and negatively).
A few days ago, after publishing my latest op-ed piece on President Obama’s Changes on Change, I received an e-mail from Paul Jamiol, a great cartoonist who has done some really good work in depicting our nation’s downslide. He sent me the link to his recent cartoon which is related to the op-ed piece I wrote; great job, indeed! Check it out below:
Here is another good one published a while ago during one of my MSM related campaigns:
I encourage you to check out Paul’s website to see his activism expressed so effectively in cartoons – summing up important issues better than 1000 word pieces.
Now here is your turn: What do you think of political cartoons and their role today? Who is/are your favorite cartoonist(s)? Why? Also, if you can, share (provide the link) with all of us your favorite cartoon (only one cartoon, please!) related to the topics we’ve been discussing (MSM, Need for ‘Real Change,’ Campaign lies and ‘pre-selected’ candidates…). If you don’t have one already, you may want to spend a few minutes browsing the Net – it is fun, uplifting, and also highly stimulating-nothing like a well-executed punchy cartoon to get that critical thinking going….
eric zaetsch Says:
Steve Bell, of Guardian.
And two, Sibel, since each parallels the two you chose.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/cartoon/2009/feb/26/president-obama-congressional-address-steve-bell
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2009/jan/15/steve-bell-bill-clinton
Sibel Edmonds Says:
Eric: Way to go! Both excellent, and so very very relevant. Thank you.
Ishmael Says:
I always liked P.S. Mueller. Here’s one of my favorites of his:
[IMG]http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/7451/obladn7.gif[/IMG]
If it doesn’t show, here’s a direct link:
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/7451/obladn7.gif
Sibel Edmonds Says:
Ishmael: Another good one. I am really enjoying this TGIF trend!!! Maybe I will pick some of these really good ones, like Eric's & yours, and post the links as 'update' under the same post…Thanks!
Metemneurosis Says:
I know this one is controversial to many people but I feel like, for my money, one of the most sickening biases of the MSM is the way the Palestinian/Israeli conflict is portrayed. I only recently came to realize the full extent of it myself. The facts regarding the Nakba, the hardships of daily life in the occupied territories, etc. are almost unknown in the US. So one of my favorite cartoons is Pat Oliphant’s in response to the gaza massacre.
http://www.crownheights.info/media/4/20090326-oliphant-cartoon.jpg
Anonymous Says:
Great TGIF idea. I like to look at Slate’s cartoon section, they usually have at least a few good ones every week. Here is a current one that goes well with the “Two Sides of the same coin” posting:
http://cartoonbox.slate.com/tedrall/
Jeff
Rady Ananda Says:
Michael Dibari (New Orleans) is one of my fave political cartoonists.
I know you said only one (and I see others already violated this
, but I posted three…
maybe you’ll like the second one best.
http://radyananda.livejournal.com/2266.html
Sibel Edmonds Says:
Metemneurosis: It is certainly NOT controversial for me. It is true; sad but true. Don't let the 'lobby' silence these truth-based criticisms by their usual labeling (yah, like what they did with the Harvard study;-). Good one. The 'lobby' has successfully muted 'real coverage' for decades…Thank you.
Jeff: I used to visit the site regularly..maybe I should do it again.
Rady Ananda: Okay, as long as people do it the way you did it (to the point, short & crisp, and a nicely provided collection of links), 'no quota';-) I didn't know Michael Dibari, but he is on my radar now. I like all three. I know it is not exactly on the topic, but the third one is still relevant and quite powerful. Excellent selection. I know I am repeating my self but I AM REALLY ENJOYING THIS!
Rady Ananda Says:
here’s a better link:
http://realbc.ning.com/profiles/blogs/political-cartoons-of-the
at this website, the pix are big enough… much better than the other URL I gave.
glad you liked #3, Sibel
Anonymous Says:
I’ve always liked Mark Fiore:
http://www.markfiore.com/
Ishmael Says:
I know Keith Tucker’s work from the once and future Randi Rhodes Message board and the current RhodeScholars board. Here’s a link to his webiste, Whatnowtoons:
http://whatnowtoons.com/
And, of course, who can forget “This Modern World” by Tom Tomorrow, featuring the Famous Sparky, The Wonder Penguin. here:
http://www.thismodernworld.com/
As Walt Kelly once wrote,
“We have met the enemy and he is us.”
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/2214/pogoearthday1971posterim2.jpg
Kathleen M. Dickson Says:
Yeah, ya need visuals.
The difficulty is MicroSoft software, which is not conducive to graphics.
Someone should execute a cartoon history of Paul Wolfowitz’ career. If you notice, *everything* he ever touched turned to do-do:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Wolfowitz
KMDickson
Katabasis Says:
Hi Sibel,
I’ve always got a good laugh from David Rees in his ‘Get Your War On’ series:
linkI liked him so much he inspired me to start doing a British version.
Two years ago when I first started following your story I came across a curious belief that seems to be held by many otherwise politically astute people in the UK – that the British intelligence agencies do not get up to the same dirty tricks as the others because they’re, well, British.
I found this incomprehensibly naive so out of frustration ended the argument on one discussion board with this cartoon:
MI5 and 6 suck
pmorlan Says:
Sibel, do you think the CIA will be calling you?
CIA Announces Push to Improve Agency’s Language Proficiency
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/29/AR2009052903054.html?hpid=moreheadlines
willyloman Says:
Hi Sibel;
Check out this one…”The Obama Horse”
I did it myself by cutting and pasting some characters taken from other cartoons into this.
http://willyloman.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/the-obama-horse.jpg
Anonymous Says:
The one of all the MSM in a feeder frenzy to know if Britney Spears is going commando with Ms. Edmonds being ignored off to the side sums it up in a nut shell. The real problem is not the MSM, but the dumbing down of the American People to a comatose state of obsessing over this degenerate nonsense, as opposed to very critical matters that determine the fate of our democratic system of government. The populace must be buying this trash by the truck load, or it would not proliferate in newsstands, grocery stores, and magazine shelves of book stores. If I recall, Aristotle stated that the true enemy of a democracy was not insurgency or invasion, but rather apathy on the part of the citizens themselves. People tend to get the government they deserve when they care less to defend their freedom and liberty. I fear we are headed for the same fate that ended the Greek and Roman democratic republics. The precedents are being chiseled in stone right now by Bush and Obama. Sooner or later one of our Presidents will decide to cross the Rubicon, or in our case the Potomac, with an army and dissolve our freely elected republic. Perhaps our children and grand children will be required to raise their right arms and say Hail Mr. President, or perhaps they will be required to show up in mass to applaud and clap for “Our Dear Leader” Mr. President. Or perhaps it will just be an Orwellian Big Brother police state. No matter how our democracy dies, the tyrant or tyrants that will place the sword to our throats, will say it is all in the interest of National Security, and the majority ignorant lemmings that we collectively are, will cheer and greet our oppressors with genuine glee. This is our fate unless we all wake up NOW! WAKE UP AMERICA!!!
Forlornly, Roger Scramjet
Sibel Edmonds Says:
Roger Scramjet: So effectively put.
“the true enemy of a democracy was not insurgency or invasion, but rather apathy on the part of the citizens themselves.”
Excellent quote.
May I tempt you to write a piece on this?