Posted on 02/03/2006 7:06:17 PM PST by Former Military Chick
WASHINGTON (Feb. 1, 2006) — Gary Trudeau, nationally syndicated comic artist and political satirist, signed copies of his new Doonesbury book “The Long Road Home” Tuesday at the Pentagon concourse. Among the Soldiers waiting in line to have their book signed was one in a wheelchair who lost his leg in Iraq.
Trudeau’s book tells the story of a long-established Doonesbury character, B.D., and his experiences as a National Guard Soldier deployed to Iraq, where he looses a leg in a rocket-propelled grenade attack on his Humvee outside of Fallujah.
Spc. Joseph Kashnow of the 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo., lost his leg after being wounded in Taji, Iraq, in September 2003.
When asked about Gary Trudeau’s efforts to bring the injured Soldier to the national platform through his cartoon, Kashnow said, “I think it’s great that there’s a cartoon character that in this situation…it will help Soldiers that have been wounded entirely, not just amputees, get the attention they deserve.”
The sentiment seemed mutual within the crowd gathered to have their books singed by Trudeau.
“It’s a great idea, I mean, these kids are giving up a lot, we can’t forget about them,” said Master Sgt. David Gagnon.
The majority of the book’s action takes place in the recovery period that takes B.D. from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany to Walter Reed Army Medical Center and finally home, where he learns to cope with his injury through the help of his family and a counseling staff.
While B.D. recovers from his combat injury, his wife, Boopsie, stays at the Fisher House. Fisher House is an organization that provides “comfort homes” near major military and VA medical centers where family members of injured service members can stay while their loved one is recovering.
Fisher House originally asked Trudeau for a compilation of the cartoons he created that were part of B.D.’s story line as a morale booster, and he did one better. Trudeau published the compilation book and then pledged his book advance and all the profits that would result from the publishing to Fisher House.
The publisher, Andrews McMeel Publising, has also donated a portion of the firm’s proceeds to Fisher House. Trudeau plans on publishing a second Doonesbury compilation focusing on B.D. later this year, again donating his advance and profits to Fisher House.
While conducting research for his work, Trudeau worked very closely with Fisher House, as well as the patients at Walter Reed Medical Center.
PING
Seems this cartoonist is trying to do right by our wounded troops!!
Sorry, I refuse to trust this guy.
Don't like his politics.
Do like him doing this.
I know...it seems strange, but maybe Garry has had an about face, as it were.
It appears that even a yellow dog, wrong thinking, anti-war 60s relic like Trudeau ... cannot help but be touched, inspired and awestruck by the spirit of our wonderful men and women in the armed forces. The loyalty and passion of these highly principled folks are an inspiration to everyone.Three cheers for our troops.
I know what you mean.
I'm doing some mental stretches now, because I will need to be extremely limber to turn myself around on this guy.
Ditto.
After seeing the following oped cartoon I was angry. While I was at WRMC site I stumbled across this article and thought perhaps Trudeau's kindness can combat the evil of Toles wretched oped 'toon.
More about the above image here comment 23
I will admit I do not follow cartoons, I just do not get the humor, sad thing when you have to ask your beloved for the punch line. If this is not an appropriate thread for FR, we can have it pulled.
see comment 9
Perhaps I should research each person profiled from the WRAMC but I didn't and honestly I do not know anything about this man.
Only that he was willing to give his time, and now money for our gals and guy's.
I did not post this to offend anyone, obviously uninformed as it pertains to this guy but more of this type of generosity needs to be done for our fine men and women in the service.
A bit of apples and oranges here, but, where are the folks, giving their time for our troops. I am deeply saddened that we do not have the same type of USO that we once did. That folks do not think it is important to go and give of their time either on the front or at the bed's of our troops.
I think the list of names of folks in entertainment/publishing/sports who have given and it is quite small.
Then you see the 'toon by Toles and you have to wonder, is this their marching order's. So, I am trying to find the good, even if I am in disagreement with the person, that is willing to be selfless for our patriots.
You are welcome to disagree.
I would add if anyone can give a brief background on Trudeau it would be helpful. :)
I'm glad to hear that he supports the troops. I still can't stand him.
Trudeau is doing a GREAT thing for our brave troops, more than most people here are doing in terms of financial contributions AND personal time spent with wounded soldiers he's not related to. Give it up for the guy!
Your comment was powerful and moving, thank you.
Wally married his girlfriend Becky, ended up going with Becky BACK to Afghanistan to work with an NGO that was finding and clearing mines left over from previous wars. He and Becky end up adopting the little Afghan girl who saved Wally's life while he was MIA, and helped him escape to US forces.
Just by some of brief remarks I have read here, wow, he folks aren't fond of him. As I said, I knew really nothing of his background, only that he was doing something for our guys.
Thanks as always for your remarks.
Hear! Hear!
Thank you for adding this to the thread, as I said I know little of Trudeau (embarrassed to have admitted this) and feel like a doe caught in the headlights.
Perhaps lame, but he is contributing money and his time, so maybe that balances things out.
I certainly do not think it would be right to steal another's creative concept. :(
No offense here. Trudeau has done some really bad pieces about Condi Rice and Bush, where Bush refers to her as his "brown sugar."
But I think that you are right in that the USO isn't what it used to be. And you are right again when you say that we should respect his efforts.
Heard Rush saying the other day that he had contacted the USO to help repeatedly, and no one would respond to him. SO he decided to go to Afghanistan through other channels. And our guys/gals were very appreciative.
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