Cartoon Raises a Stink

Washinton Post ^ | Friday, November 21, 2003 | Johnny Hart

[livesbygrace]

Did Johnny Hart -- the beloved creator of "B.C." and one of the most widely read cartoonists on Earth -- sneak a vulgar defamation of Islam into the comics pages last week? The question was raised yesterday by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based civil rights group, in an e-mail to its membership.

Hart and his syndicate say no -- that a simple, straightforward joke is being misconstrued. That may well be true, but the 73-year-old cartoonist's history of evangelizing his Christian beliefs through his comic cavemen have left many people doubtful.

The cartoon, which appeared Nov. 10 in more than 1,200 newspapers worldwide -- including The Washington Post -- shows a caveman entering an outhouse at night, and then saying, from inside, "Is it just me, or does it stink in here?"

The first public questioning of this cartoon arose in a washingtonpost.com chat Tuesday, when a reader noted that the cartoon seemed to make no sense, except metaphorically. The reader noted that the cartoon contained six crescent moons -- three in the sky, and three on the outhouse door -- and wondered if this might have been a veiled slur on the world's 1 billion practicing Muslims.

[Phantom Lord]

While RATS and leftists find major offense and bigotry in the BC cartoon outhouse, they find this cartoon the be the height of comedic sophistication.

We all know have the left and the willing media would have exploded in outrage and demanded the firing of of the cartoonist if he had drawn up a black nominee from Clinton like this. They would probably have a running ticker on the front page of the NY Times... "15 days and X still hasn't been fired. Why?"

[Phantom Lord]

we know its not a slam on Coulters book. But I wonder how many people have read that toon over and over and still don't get it.

Hart is a master of subtlety and requiring a higher level of cognitive thinking than most comic readers have.

[L.N. Smithee]

Ain't it something how the media takes CAIR's concerns about Dr. Laura and B.C. seriously, but has nothing bad to say about that arrogant, bigoted pig, Aaron McGruder of The Boondocks?

[Hildy]

Every single solitary day Muslims insult Jews, calling for our death. Where the hell is my apology. Instead of bashing Mel Gibson, why doesn't the ADL ask Muslims to apologize to me.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

Ok, I understand the crescent moon on the outhouse but I dont get the joke in the comic strip....is there a joke? I never did like BC

[livesbygrace]

Every single solitary day Muslims insult Jews, calling for our death. Where the hell is my apology. Instead of bashing Mel Gibson, why doesn't the ADL ask Muslims to apologize to me.

We wouldn't want to offend, now would we? (sarcasm/)
I HATE political correctness...

[non-anonymous]

Here's a rich two-holer:


Two Story Outhouse- Built 1869. Located in Gays, Illinois

[b4its2late]

Here's their email address:

cair@cair-net.org

[King Prout]

Let's assume for the moment that there is no bloody-handed insane death cult called Islam, and thus the cartoonist cannot be poking it in the eye.
From that perspective, the cartoon does make sense, and is still funny, if only slightly: it is the middle of the night in an isolated single-occupancy outhouse - who is the caveman questioning, and why would he be surprised by the stench? Good for a slight quirk of a smile.

Now, let's assume that there IS a bloody-handed insane death-cult called Islam, and that the cartoonist IS poking it in the eye... The cartoon becomes BRILLIANT.

Personally, I'm thinking of printing up T-shirts with a photo of an outhouse with the traditional crescent moon on the door, and a caption reading "Islam"

Probably sell like hotcakes.

[Smokin' Joe]

the folks complaining went straight from squatting in the sand to flush toilets.

[Dr Warmoose]

I wonder what they put on their outhouses?

Who said that they were advanced enough to recognize that one doesn't crap in the living room?

[Dr Warmoose]

Personally, I'm thinking of printing up T-shirts with a photo of an outhouse with the traditional crescent moon on the door, and a caption reading "Islam"

I would like mine in XXL

[GraniteStateConservative]

Yeah, me, too. I'm like the guy in the chat room. How is it funny unless it refers to Islam. The poster who referred to putting an I before SLAM may be on to something, too. I think it's great to be a Christian anti-Islam subversive.

[douglas1]

I was watching the GREEN MILE just the other day and their it was, a outhouse with a crescent moon carved into the door, I suppose we will have to start taking this stuff serious as it appears to be hurting someones feelings.

[GraniteStateConservative]

If we don't watch it, our descendants will have to communicate opposition to this religion of peace in such subtle ways. We should work on and teach to our kids how to write good allegory. Islamists want to beat us and our kids into submission with sheer numbers.

[Delta 21]

You forgot THIS ONE.

[Issaquahking]

Hats off to you PBR, that is exactly what is going on while the sheep graze.

[dixie sass]

How absurd.

[walford]

Uhh... the only point that I was making in posting various moon deities is that the moon is not only the symbol of what is worhipped by mohommedans. How dare they think that they own that symbol.

The moon represents deity [or an aspect thereof] for many religions that have NOT originated in the middle east. I guess their practitioners/faithful should be offended by Johnny Hart's cartoon also.

So far, we haven't heard from them. Maybe they have better things to do than find things to be offended about.

[Ciexyz]

I find a lot of comics unfunny. I guess this one is funny. I'd never connect it to "Islam". The liberal press never protested against government grants given to artists who stick a cross in a jar of urine.