US cartoonists under pressure to follow the patriotic line

The Independent (U.K.) ^ | 23 June 2002 | Andrew Buncombe

[plato99]

Nine months after the attacks of 11 September, leading American political cartoonists say they are under intense pressure to conform to a patriotic stereotype and not criticise the actions of Mr Bush and his "war on terror". Those who refuse to bend to such pressure face having their work rejected, being fired or even publicly humiliated by the President's press secretary.

Last month the veteran TV anchor Dan Rather sparked controversy.......

[VOA]

Everyone here in America is free to voice their opinion. That being said, not for one second
can you believe that you won't be held accountable for what you say.

Not that many people understand that.
I'll never forget what a scene from the television series version of "The Paper Chase".
One of the characters asked Professor Kinsgfield (played by John Houseman) if something he
was going to say could be "off the record".

Professor Kingsfield replied in deadly-serious tone:
"NOTHING is ever truly 'off the record'!"

This is something I still have trouble telling people with PhDs that think their e-mail
messages are just private matter between them and G-d.

[facedown]

BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!.....ummmm. ok, what's a jagdork?

It's a Chicagoism: jag-off/dork.

[facedown]

We had one heck of a Freep on poor misunderstood Mr. Marland.

Yup, I was all over the email on that one.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The idiots in the American and international press make claims that the government that is exerting pressure on them and they ridicule the common people for getting after the pinkos in the media.

We the People are gaining the upper hand and the media doesn't like it. We are the ones who write letters to the editor and we choose to buy or not buy their lousy newspapers.

[speekinout]

"There is immense pressure [from] readers and advertisers to toe the patriotic line as they define it," said Steve Benson,

This in the middle of an article designed to make us think that there is gov't censorship??
Get a clue, guys! Few Americans are as left-leaning as the press, including (and maybe especially) cartoonists.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

'Who the hell are you to tell me what I can and can't draw?'.

This is a common reaction that the media has when they're getting a good swift kick in the butt for printing something stupid. They're morons. They think that they have the right to print whatever they want and nobody has the right to dissent. Wrong. They have the right to print whatever they want, but they better be prepared to defend it because people have the right to make them accountable for it. Accontability is a real bitch, isn't it?

[Congressman Billybob]

So the Independent and its "reporter," Andrew Buncombe, are up in arms about American cartoonists and some lame remarks of an irrelevant "newscaster" on an irrelevant network. Who cares?

I have previously noted that this reporter has the name of an American slang word for political lies, "buncombe." It comes from a Senator Buncombe, from Buncombe County, North Carolina. I believe the last Senator from North Carolina who hailed from the Blue Ridge Mountain end of the state.

The good Senator Buncombe was such a notorious liar that his name entered the language and lost its capital letter. Just like "crapper," "boycott," "sandwich," and "lynch." Andy and his precious Independent ought to be aware of those, because the first three were Englishmen.

Anyway, both he and his newspaper are guilty of spreading "buncombe," no less now than usual, however.

Congressman Billybob

Click for: "Talking without Speaking -- Hearing without Listening."

[gcruse]

To the extent that these cartoonists can damp down
the braying jingoism that patriotism hereabouts edges
into, good for them.

To the extent that they slander the lives lost to terrorism
here and abroad, they must endure the public's scorn.
 

[zip]

Last month the veteran TV anchor Dan Rather sparked controversy

Dan Rather's a cartoonist?????? I knew he was a Klintoonist but I haven't seen any of his cartoon work.

[TheMole]

I can't believe nobody else has said this so I will.

They don't call that guy Buncombe for nothing.

[185JHP]

They've been leftists since their successful anti-decency rampaging in the 60s, and got booster shots during 8 years of X42 - then what happens? W handles the 9/11 things and bombs away in OBLand, and has high ratings. They're envenomed wasps, looking for opportunities to sting.

[Intolerant in NJ]

'Who the hell are you to tell me what I can and can't draw?'...And who the hell are you to tell us waht we can and can't object to?.....

[BradyLS]

Dan Rather's a cartoonist??????

Yep. He presents a cartoonish characature of the "noooze" everytime he starts a broadcast.

[vannrox]

[Looking4Truth]

The good Senator Buncombe was such a notorious liar that his name entered the language and lost its capital letter. Just like "crapper," "boycott," "sandwich," and "lynch."

Don't forget "clymer", heh, heh.