Minneapolis Star Tribune censors IPW cartoonist
IowaPresidentialWatch.com’s political cartoonist, Linda Eddy, has been censored by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Eddy distributes her cartoons by email and regularly sends them to the Tribune. Her latest, showing John Kerry during his 1971 Senate testimony, is titled “Silencing Veterans since 1971” and shows an American soldier in Kerry’s hand, his head covered.
Tribune Deputy Editorial Page Editor B. James Boyd responded to Eddy’s latest cartoon by banning any future editorials from the artist:
“Please take me off your e-mail list. Your latest statements about Kerry are too much. He said no such thing in 1971. His whole testimony was an appeal on behalf of veterans.”
Eddy responded to Boyd’s email:
“You are further proof of the silencing of any dissenting view on what John Kerry really said back in 1971. You are further proof of the denial of Freedom of Speech to those with whom you disagree.”
End of story? No! Back came yet another response from Tribune editor B. James Boyd – sent not once, but twice to Eddy:
“read kerry's testimony. Find one complete quote which supports your
claim. Just one.”
Eddy’s response:
“Obviously you are incapable of doing your own good, hard journalistic work.
As soon as I clear my schedule, I will respond... probably by tomorrow.”
The following is the actual email exchanges between Eddy and Minneapolis Star Tribune editor B. James Boyd:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Boyd" <boyd@startribune.com>
To: <lindartwork@wmtel.net>
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 8:22 AM
Subject: Re: the silencing has got to stop!
Please take me off your e-mail list. Your latest statements about Kerry
are too much. He said no such thing in 1971. His whole testimony was an
appeal on behalf of veterans.
B. James Boyd
Deputy Editorial Page Editor
Star Tribune
425 Portland Av.
Minneapolis, MN 55488
612-673-4470
boyd@startribune.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Linda Eddy
To: Jim Boyd
Cc: Sean Hannity ; Rush Limbaugh ; Matt Drudge
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 1:03 PM
Subject: Re: the silencing has got to stop!
I will gladly remove you from the email list.
You are further proof of the silencing of any dissenting view on what John Kerry really said back in 1971. You are further proof of the denial of Freedom of Speech to those with whom you disagree.
I just hate it when Media like you continue to promote lies. John Kerry's whole testimony was NOT an appeal on behalf of veterans. Kerry accused American troops in Vietnam of committing henious, barbaric, criminal acts on a regular, daily basis. He lied about American troops in Vietnam, he lied about what was happening in Vietnam, he lied about going into Cambodia on Christmas 1968... As the veterans say, Kerry lied while good men died. The fact is that American soldiers hated Kerry back in 1971 for what he falsely testified about them, and still hate Kerry to this day for these lies.
Kerry was a part of the meeting in Detroit, Michigan, where Veterans Against the War through the financial support of Jane Fonda and her friends (in something that has come to be known as Winter Soldier) gathered the information that Kerry gave before the Senate committee in 1971.
It has since been proven that most (if not all) of that personal testimony was not true and many giving testimony were not veterans. Furthermore, most of those who were veterans had not been to Vietnam. It has further been proven that among Kerry's board members of Veterans Against the War most had not been to Vietnam and many of them lied about their service record.
Then there is this whopper by Kerry - John Kerry said on April 18, 1971 on NBC's "Meet the Press":
"There are all kinds of atrocities, and I would have to say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed in that I took part in shootings in free fire zones. I conducted harassment and interdiction fire. I used 50 calibre machine guns, which we were granted and ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took part in search and destroy missions, in the burning of villages."
If it were true, then Kerry is a war criminal.
The real great lie is that there is a free, fair and objective press. You have once again proven that is not true. You, the press and John Kerry continue to silence America's Vietnam veterans. This henious denial of Freedom of Speech must stop.
I will see what I can do to share your denial of truth and handling of a dissenting view with the rest of the world.
By the way, my cartoons have been chosen for exhibition by the Arizona State Museum of Art for the exhibit "Art and Democracy" -- the location of the last presidential debate.
sincerely,
Linda Eddy
political cartoonist for www.iowapresidentialwatch.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Boyd" <boyd@startribune.com>
To: <lindartwork@wmtel.net>
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 11:23 AM
Subject: Re: the silencing has got to stop!
read kerry's testimony. Find one complete quote which supports your
claim. Just one.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Eddy" <lindartwork@wmtel.net>
To: "Jim Boyd" <boyd@startribune.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 1:36 PM
Subject: Re: the silencing has got to stop!
Obviously you are incapable of doing your own good, hard journalistic work.
As soon as I clear my schedule, I will respond... probably by tomorrow.
regards,
Linda Eddy