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March 31, 2005
CONGRATULATIONS TO STACEY AND
BRIAN FAIRRINGTON!
My loyal assistant on this site
is Stacey Fairrington, the wife of our conservative cartoonist
Brian
Fairrington. Stacey had a baby this morning, a nine pound
little boy named Blake Spencer Fairrington. Congratulations to
Stacey! You can e-mail your congratulations to Stacey and Brian
by clicking here!
If things look a little clunky around here the next few days,
just have a little patience as Cagle, the overworked cartoonist,
is trying to do everything by himself.
NO HUMOR IN THE SLOVAKIAN CHURCH
Our cartoonist from Slovakia, Martin Sutovek, writes to tell
me that he's in trouble. Martin and his newspaper are being sued
by the Slovakian Conference of Bishops who object to the cartoon
below. Oh dear, those bishops don't have much of a sense of humor.
 Martin Sutovek,
SME, Slovakia
E-Mail
Martin. Visit an archive of the Martin's most recent cartoons
in the drop menu at the right. |
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OLD
"BEST" FRONT PAGE
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March 28, 2005
NEW PAGE LAYOUT
Over the weekend I changed the layout of our Best
Political Cartoons of the Day pages. These are the pages
where our regular readers go to see the latest cartoons by the
artists who contribute to our site. Today I've been hearing from
readers whose everyday routine has been interrupted by the change
in layout. The e-mail has been running about two to one, with
twice as many readers annoyed by the change as there are people
who like the new layout better.
We used to run twelve pages with
seven or eight cartoons per page, about 88 cartoons in total.
The new layout has 30 pages, with three or four cartoons per
page, showcasing more of our regular cartoonists --a little more
than one hundred cartoonists will be featured on these pages
from here on out.
I've learned that readers with
fast internet connections prefer long pages. One problem with
long pages is that readers with slow connections complain that
our bandwidth-heavy site takes too long to load; our site can
be very frustrating on a telephone connection. The second problem
is that longer pages reduce the number of page views on our site,
which cuts our advertising revenue.
We've been told to increase ad
income from our site, which means we have to deliver more pages
and more ads. I'm sorry, but advertising is what keeps the site
free to our readers. I don't have much choice here. Our site
accounts for about a third of Slate's audience, but more than
half of Slate's bandwidth demands. For you techies out there,
we run on five state of the art servers with fiber-optic connections.
Our site has ten thousand pages and more than two hundred thousand
cartoons, from over two hundred cartoonists it is a big
monster to feed.
Another consideration is that
more cartoonists wanted, and deserved to be showcased on the
more popular, daily pages. We've recently been adding some new
cartoonists to the site, and two examples are below. Mr. Fish
is an edgy, alternative weekly cartoon by Dwayne Booth. I became
a fan of Mr. Fish in the LA Weekly. We'll be adding a Mr. Fish
collection on the front page later today. Another new arrival
is Richard Crowson of the Witchita Eagle; Richard describes himself
as a lonely liberal cartoonist in a sea of red states.
|
NEW
"BEST" FRONT PAGE |
 Dwayne Booth,
Mr. Fish
E-Mail
Dwayne. Visit Mr. Fish.
Visit an archive of the Dwayne's most recent cartoons in the
drop menu at the right. |
|
 Richard Crowson,
The Witchita Eagle, Kansas
E-Mail
Richard. Visit an archive of the Richard's most recent cartoons
in the drop menu at the right. |
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March 23, 2005
SO MUCH SCHIAVO
My favorite Terri Schiavo cartoon
came from Mike Lane, who recently left a thirty year job at the
Baltimore Sun. Mike e-mailed me, asking if it would be OK to
draw an elephant peeing. In his thirty years at the Sun, he was
never allowed to draw an elephant peeing. Would we really dare
to send a drawing of an elephant peeing, to newspapers around
the country? Would newspapers really print that?
I said, "Sure, what the
heck?" Mike's cartoon shows a Republican elephant peeing
on the "Rule of Law." I think it is the best cartoon
of all.
Visit
our vast collection of cartoons about the Schiavo case.
March 18, 2004
CAGLE"S NEXT BOOK SIGNING
I know, you missed my last book signing, and you're still kicking
yourself. Not to worrk, here's your next opportunity to meet
the elusive Cagle!
Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Valencia
23630 Valencia Blvd.
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
(661)254-6604
Book signing: Saturday, April 23, 2005
12p.m. to 3p.m.
March 16, 2005
This afternoon, around 2:30, I was sitting at my computer, with
my finger poised above the "enter" key, ready to send
out my "Baretta is GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY" cartoon. CNN
was blaring, and as soon as they uttered the word, "GUILTY"
I would press the button and have the first "Guilty Blake"
editorial cartoon delivered to newspapers across the country!
Well, I never was a good judge
of character, and the cartoon went to waste. How could he be
NOT GUILTY? Jeez. I guess the cartoon is a collector's
item now.
March 8, 2005
WHO'S IN THE CAR?
From our mailbag:
From: "Michael Müller"
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 5:39 AM
Subject: Todays Cartoon by you at cagle.com
Sorry, but why would there be FOUR suicide bombers in ONE car??
That makes no sense at all, and I think you knew that but ignored
it in order to make your point. Which I frankly find a little
bit shabby if true :-/
with fg, Michael Müller
Dear Michael,
If you look closely, you will see that, in one of the cars, the
three passengers are mannequins, which the bomber obviously put
in place to make the car look like it has four passengers. The
other car actually has four passengers, unfortunately, that is
the car you chose to shoot. I can't believe that you would make
such a mistake.
Best of fg, Daryl
PULITZER FINALISTS
Every year the top secret finalists
for the Pulitzer Prizes are leaked. See
the list of leaked finalists in most of the categories on the
Editor & Publisher site. In the editorial cartoons division,
the finalists are reported to be: Don Wright of the Palm Beach
Post, Joel Pett of the Lexington Herald Leader and Garry Trudeau,
the creator of Doonesbury and our neighbor on Slate.
These are three great cartoonists,
but I find the selections disappointing because all three have
already won a Pulitzer Prize. There are lots of deserving cartoonists
who have been overlooked by the journalism elites at Columbia
University. I would guess that the favorite to take home a second
Pulitzer would be Garry Trudeau, because he has gotten so much
attention this year for the Doonesbury story in which B.D. loses
his leg in Iraq.
Pulitzer juries select three
finalists, but the winner is selected by a second, broader committee
of journalists, which is not bound to select a winner from the
finalists although they almost always do.
 March
5, 2005
HERBLOCK WOULD BE HORRIFIED
There is no institution that
cartoonists despise more than The New York Times. The editorial
cartooning profession is slowly dying as more and more newspapers
decide that they can do without the expense and controversy of
a local political cartoonist. The New York Times is the biggest
newspaper to go without a staff editorial cartoonist. They don't
even run comic strips.
The Times has not employed a
political cartoonist for nearly fifty years and editors at the
Times have been quoted saying that they would never hire a cartoonist
because "you can't edit a cartoonist like you can a writer,"
and, "we would never give so much power to one man."
The arrogance with which the haughty Times dismisses our art
form really sticks in the collective cartoonists' craw. So, imagine
my surprise when I read that The New York Times was winning the
"Herbert Block Freedom Award," a prize bearing the
name of a great political cartoonist.
Herbert Block, better known as "Herblock," is a beloved
figure among cartoonists; he worked as the cartoonist for The
Washington Post for most of the past century, winning three Pulitzer
Prizes and contributing to the downfall of President Nixon and
Senator Joe McCarthy.
During his lifetime, Herblock
quietly amassed a fortune in Washington Post stock. When he died,
Herblock left money to his favorite organizations, among them
the National Cartoonists Society, which is using a $50,000 Herblock
bequest to fund a scholarship in his name. Herblock's estate
established the Herblock
Foundation which, among other things, supports the art of
editorial cartooning and bestows a yearly Herblock Award to a
top cartoonist. Herblock left money to the Association of American
Editorial Cartoonists, which recently received a $150,000 grant
from the Herblock Foundation to fund efforts to facilitate use
of editorial cartoons in the classroom and promote our art form
on the web.
 Herblock
also left $50,000 to his union, The Newspaper Guild/Communications
Workers of America, which used the legacy to start an award called
the "Herbert Block Freedom Award," that they decided
to bestow upon the evil nemesis of cartoonists, the New York
Times. The award comes with a $5,000 prize, a drop that will
be thrown into the Times' vast, private, corporate money bucket.
Cartoonists love irony, but some
irony is too much to stomach.
How could this happen? The answer
is that The Newspaper Guild never thought about how giving the
Times an award, named after a beloved editorial cartoonist, would
look to Herblock's cartoonist colleagues.
Guild President Linda Foley writes,
"We did not consider the Times' history or relationship
(or lack thereof) with editorial cartooning. It's not a controversy
or history with which we are familiar."
The award will be presented to
the Times at a banquet on March 30th to honor the Times' efforts
in defending the confidentiality of their sources. In particular
the award is intended to honor the Times' star reporter, Judith
Miller, who is fighting court efforts to root out a confidential
source who disclosed the identity of CIA agent, Valerie Plame.
Read more about the case in the Guild's
press release, and on Slate here
and here. Plame's husband,
former Ambassador Joe Wilson, accuses the White House of exposing
his secret agent wife in retaliation for Wilson's outspoken criticism
of the Bush administration.
 The
folks at Slate totter between liking and disliking Judith Miller,
but I'm no Judith Miller fan. Miller is probably best known for
a series of articles
in the Times that encouraged the run up to war with Iraq,
in which she gave credibility to false claims that Iraq was amassing
huge, menacing, stocks of weapons of mass destruction. Miller
is a superstar reporter; now she's fighting to stay out of jail
and defend a slimy source who outed a CIA agent. Protecting confidential
sources is noble, I guess. So The New York Times gets an award
... but why call it the Herblock Award?
Guild President Foley writes,
"We knew that Herb had generously willed money to many organizations,
several of them related to cartooning. We PURPOSEFULLY set up
this award around the "other" aspects of Herb's work."
She continues, "In addition to being an ardent cartoonist,
Herb Block also was an ardent trade unionist. That's why Herb
left us the $50,000. (He left you folks [cartoonists organizations]
more.) Trade unions, like cartoonists, are also on the verge
of extinction. Newspaper companies like Cox, Tribune, Gannett,
etc., do their darndest to eliminate the Guild. Do you folks
ever give consideration to that legacy of Herb Block when you
give your awards for cartooning? I doubt it; nor would I expect
it (even though I might wish it). And we would never, ever presume
that you or any other group (such as the Herblock Foundation)
was somehow "dishonoring" Herb Block because it gave
an award to a cartoonist or publication that was anti-union.
Again, we wouldn't like it, but it wouldn't be our award to bestow."
 OK.
I get it. They can do what they want to do in Herblock's name.
But the irony of this award creates a great opportunity to make
the point about how terrible The New York Times has been for
cartoonists.
Should The New York Times run
cartoons and comic strips? Should they receive an award named
to honor Herblock? You can sound off to the Newspaper Guild,
the New York Times and our very own blog with an e-mail by clicking
here. We'd like to hear what you think -and if we get
enough e-mails, maybe it will make an impact on the evil, cartoon
loathing, New York Times. We'll post the best e-mails here.
Here are selections from our
mailbag, after my piece on the Herbert Block Award (above) ran
in our newsletter this morning. Our readers sent copies to us,
the New York Times and the Newspaper Guild.
From: Lorraine Provost
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 12:42 PM
Subject: Herblock award
I read your article and e-mail responses to it with great interest
and concern. The New York Times should not get this award. Their
pomposity and disrespect for creative license and intelligent
opinion in the field of politics and news events makes them ineligible
for such a highly regarded and coveted recognition award. The
political cartoon profession must be protected and recognized
for the incomparable role it plays in society. A cartoon cuts
through inches of paper and thousands of words that profess to
express opinions. A good cartoon is the least common denominator
for truth in reporting events. The ability to clearly and succinctly
grasp the essence of an issue or event is the hardest thing to
do. The fact that the New York Times doesn't have any cartoons
speaks to their crass ignorance in what society wants and needs
in a newspaper. Giving them the Herblock award would be like
giving the Congressional Medal of Honor to Sadam Hussein. It
makes no sense and its unfair. My friend Sandy Huffaker is a
political cartoonist and I don't know anyone who is as intelligent,
objective, knowledgeable, clever and funny. I deeply respect
his uncanny ability to instantly assess the core truth in opposite
sides of complicated issues and praise his profession for delivering
these truths to all of us every day. Give me my cartoons! And
give the Herblock award to a newspaper that supports the profession!
The snobbish elite who declare themselves too busy or too
intelligent to look at political cartoons can keep the New York
Times.
Lorraine R. Provost
Manasquan, NJ
-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Weiand
Subject: Catoonists
I love political cartoons and
hope that you manage to get the NYT to sign on at least a few
cartoonists from several different wings maybe getting them to
all draw a cartoon on the same theme on the same issue so that
you get an equal perspective if you see what i mean. I hope that
the NYT soon sees that cartoonists are very important!
Dan
-----Original Message-----
From: HJ Ariola [mailto:harrisonjbear@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 9:12 PM
To: cari@cagle.com; guild@cwa-union.org; letters@nytimes.com
Subject: unions and cartoonist
Let's all vote with what these
corporations all love... the almighty dollar... i'm keeping my
vote...maybe they'll get the message....
From: Pam Wellington
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:14 AM
Subject: rip it away
Come on people! An award to the
New York Times with the name of a famous cartoonist who supported
editorial cartoonists? The New York Times is too cowardly to
even run a political cartoon or have one on it's staff. Give
us all a break. Rip that award away from the New York Times and
give it to some struggling paper that still has the guts and
integrity to run political cartoons in it's paper.
Pam Wellington
Visual Arts Educator, teacher of cartooning to high school students.
From: Coley Orr
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:11 AM
Subject: Herblock award for NYT
Just wrong.
From: James W
Fitzgerald
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 6:56 AM
Subject: The Herb Block Award
This is discgusting. Does Foley mean that she did not know or
consider the history or the impact of giving an honor in the
name of a famous person who would have given quite the opposite
to such a pandering rag as this? For her not to have been aware
of the Times relationship with cartoonists, and employees in
general, shows that she doesn't read or watch or comprehend the
news or its effects.
Jim Fitzgerald
 From: Terry
C. Wise
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 6:25 AM
Subject: Herb Block rolling over
Dear NYT editors,
Your political views aside, Herb Block is surely rolling in his
grave at the thought of an anti-cartoonist, judgment hoarding,
self anointed diva of opinion winning an award that carries his
name.
Do the right thing... graciously pass on the Herb Block Freedom
Award.
Sincerely,
Terry C. Wise
From: Jill Kennedy
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 3:42 AM
Subject: Herblock Award
I grew up reading the newspaper.
We fought over the funnies on Sunday. And, guess what, we still
do! I learned about politics and humor from editorial cartoons,
and still do.
I do not trust people who do
not read the funnies or editorial cartoons. There is something
lopsided in their thinking. They are insulated from one whole
aspect of the news. Most seem to lack a sense of humor, an essential
quality for any well-informed person.
Shame on the New York Times.
I read it, but loathe the fact that they have no cartoons. Maybe
I should stop reading it.
Jill K. Kennedy
From: Chad Crowe
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 9:00 PM
Subject: Herbert Block Award
It is amazing the New York Times
has been awarded the Herbert Block Freedom Award, and serves
as another reminder how undervalued the institution of editorial
cartooning is among our nation's mainstream media elite. It is
a travesty to the profession that a newspaper with no respect
for the profession of editorial cartooning has been awarded a
prize after one of the greatest American cartoonists of all time.
The New York Times is in the forefront of large, established
newspapers (such as The Chicago Tribune and The San Jose Mercury
News) that have decided cartoonists are expendable "extras"
in journalism. By bestowing this award upon The New York Times,
the forum does a great injustice to the historical importance
and legacy of editorial cartooning in American Journalism, and
thus to Herblock himself. From Thomas Nast challenging the injustices
of Tammany Hall, or Bill Mauldin bringing a human face to World
War Two, not to mention Herblock's legendary career fighting
injustice or nuclear proliferation, the combination of art and
words has been a powerful force on editorial pages for over a
century. Now, the current media trend is to lay off cartoonists,
keep local controversy to a minimum, and keep as much profits
for the shareholders as possible. The New York Times has demonstrated
itself to be as weak-kneed as other newspapers in choosing not
to endorse this unique editorial art form, and surely does not
deserve a prize in the name of Herblock. Maybe they should be
awarded the Jayson Blair Prize, as they had no qualms in putting
themselves out on a limb for him.
Chad Crowe
From: Clifford
Milner
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 6:19 AM
Subject: NY Times and Herblock
What was shocking was this. Guild President Linda Foley writes,
"We did not consider the Times' history or relationship
(or lack thereof) with editorial cartooning. It's not a controversy
or history with which we are familiar."
I'd recommend that she read a
newspaper once in awhile!!
Clifford Milner
From: Ellen Hunter
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 6:22 AM
Subject: New York Times / cartoons / Ellen Hunter
I regularly buy newspapers from outside my area - newspapers
that include those from Boston, New York City, and Los Angeles.
I will admit that I avoid buying the New York Times solely because
it does not have cartoons, editorial and otherwise. While it
sounds mind-bogglingly stupid and shallow, the truth of the matter
is that I enjoy reading cartoons - especially editorial cartoons
- often more than I enjoy reading the articles. There is no form
of writing on this earth that can so clearly detail one person's
opinion on a matter so concisely as a cartoon. Even when - often
especially when - I disagree with a cartoonist's opinion, I enjoy
the degree of detail regarding that opinion that can be garnered
from the cartoon.
There is also the simple logistical
reality of being a mother. I get the opportunity to have the
TIME to read a newspaper while my child reads the 'funnies'.
I grew up reading Doonesbury, and my understanding of recent
history has always been bolstered by his strips, even when I
disagree with the opinions being expressed. I now welcome the
opportunity to discuss current events with my daughter (she is
seven) when she reads various political cartoons and asks me
what I think, much as my parents discussed current events with
me.
This is an opportunity the New
York Times would deny me, evidently entirely out of fear of offending
someone with a picture. How simplistically idiotic of them.
-Ellen Hunter
This email
comes form editorial cartoonist, Sandy Huffaker. Click
here to see Sandy's work.
Daryl,
Having worked at The
Times for some years, I found they liked and understood what
a cartoon was...granted it was only "cartoon illustration"
on political subjects and not full-fledged editorial cartooning,
but irreverence was appreciated and chuckled at. Yet they seriously
nit-picked everyone, which can really kill a cartoon's individuality.
You can always tell an over-edited cartoon, because it bores
you to death.
Editors always seem
jealous of cartoonists--we usually get an 80% readership, compared
to 10% for the editorials. We do have big power-- not because
we are so fabulous, but because the folks may get a laugh and
we require less work. Also, we'll tell you who the bad guys are
without any ifs, ands, buts, or on the other hands.
Go git 'em,
Sandy Huffaker
From: Fred Pergament
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:28 AM
Subject: RE: CagleCartoon: Cartoonists Despise the New York Times!
Don't fault The New York Times (NYTimes) for not employing political
cartoonists. They're only 99% politically biased; they just didn't
want to be mistaken for appearing a full 100%.
More disgusting than the NYTimes receiving this contrived award
is that the Newspaper Guild/Communication Workers of America
(CWA) wanted to specifically honor the NYTimes.
CWA Union's misuse of the bestowed "Herblock" inheritance,
smacks of their becoming yet another political neophyte cult,
seeking to exploit foundations established in Herbert's name.
What's next on the "slippery slope" for the CWA? Will
they conspire to award Dan Rather for his prowess in undercover
journalism or the Teacher's Union for scholastic excellence?
If anything, Herbert Block is not rolling in his grave, he's
(hopefully) trying to climb out of it if only to wring the necks
of the CWA, that are so thoughtlessly trashing his legacy.
I am Fred Pergament and I approve of this message.
From: Hiram Perez
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 8:06 AM
Subject: NYT award.
I completely agree with the Cagle
article on my "Daily Cartoon" It is a lack of being
informed and a total hypocrisy to award and receive that award
(in) Herblock's (name).
In my 67 years I have grown up
with, and enjoyed cartoons tremendously, specially editorial
cartoons. I bought papers, when I knew what was going on in the
world, and locally, just for the cartoons. To me it is a sublime
art.
H. Perez
Columbia MD
From: william
coulthard
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:42 AM
Subject: Award
Don't be too hard on the Times for receiving the 'Herblock' award.
After all, the Times probably doesn't have the funds to hire
a cartoonist, because of it's need to use their spare profits
to keep some of their story fabricating, leaking national security
information, and all-around boring reporters out of the 'slammer'.
Plus, it should be a real boon to the "only true free press
in America", which, in my mind, are the Cartoonists.
My hat's off to you all
From: Joe Jacobs
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 8:06 AM
Subject: Re: Herblock Award Going to the NY Times
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
Only a major newspaper with no
sense of history and the importance of cartooning in general
but more specifically editorial cartooning would cease to have
one on staff. You could take a single example of the cartoonists
- Herb Block himself - and look at his work over the span of
his career and you would see the editorial cartoonist sees and
expresses things differently than does the average journalist
or even editor. Providing this kind of alternative view of the
news is valuable to your readers.
A picture tells a thousand words,
eh?
So now we award a newspaper WITHOUT
an editorial cartoonist an award in Herb Block's name. You folks
at the Guild are very lucky Herb is not still living and working.
Were he to turn his pen on you and your efforts here, you might
not like it very much. He wouldn't paint a pretty picture.
By giving the NY Times the award
you did, it is my opinion that you greatly dishonored Herb Block
and the legacy his work provides to this day. In this case, the
Guild is a disgrace to the newspaper industry. If you choose
to honor the Times for respecting its sources, you should have
at least checked out a different source of funding. In the newspaper
business, we call it research. You'll find it to be a valuable
tool the next time you give out the Herblock Awards.
Joe Jacobs
Advertising Director
Montana Newspaper Association
Helena, MT
From: Robert A.
Housden, Ellington, MO
Subject: New York Times
You may add my name to the list of those who wish the NY Times
would publish at least one editorial cartoon. The first thing
I look for on the Editorial Page of my local newspaper, The St.
Louis Post-Dispatch, are the editorial cartoons (and the Post
Dispatch prints many). I also read the Times and the Washington
Post on a daily basis and read the latter first mainly because
the former has no political cartoons.
I feel the lack of a cartoonist staff is a failure in policy
for the Times and denies its readership a valuable and entertaining
tool in news reporting.
I, too, believe the Newspaper Guild exercised poor judgment in
awarding the Herbert Block Freedom Award to a newspaper that
is opposed to everything Herblock believed in and worked for
all his life. This is indeed ironic.
The editorial cartoon is political comment in a nutshell and
can stand alone or add greatly to arguments presented in a accompanying
written editorial.
I particularly enjoy the Cagle cartoons and am disappointed if
they are unavailable.
Robert A. Housden
Ellington, MO
From: harry herchek
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 6:35 AM
Subject: NY Times
Are you kidding me? The New York Times recieving an award for
political cartoons when they don't run any at all? I have read
the NY times before and it is not even good. And why give it
to some 'lady' who is protectecting her source? She can't even
get her facts straight. Obviously a George Bush lover, not a
real objective reporter.
Thanks for this moment.
From: Bob Pinzler
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 9:23 AM
Subject: Herbert Block Award
Why is Judith Miller one of the
few reporters I would LIKE to see go to jail?
There, she can think about the
souls of the 1500 American dead she has part responsibility for
killing.
Bob Pinzler
From: Virginia
Wright MS, Lincoln, NE
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 8:18 AM
Subject: Herb Block Award
Dear Editor: The explanation for using the Herb Block Foundation,
money, and name is specious on many levels: the NYT is not a
part of the legacy of Mr. Block, and in fact, vehemently opposes
& avoids his professional art form; and has supported the
"winning" reporter even though she failed to demonstrate
journalistic integrity for sourcing, fact checking. What is even
more appalling to me is the explanation given for this award
by the selection group. They failed entirely to know their field
and values when making the selection, and using the same non-speak,
misdirecting, deceptive language of the Bush Administration to
justify what was done. A clear demonstration of what's wrong
with the media today.
From: Michael
V
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 8:25 AM
Subject: All the news...
The New York Times wants to appeal to an "effite corps of
snobs" among our society. I don't imagine "effite snobs"
appreciate cartoons or comics, do they?
Michael Vaccari, Newark, NJ
From: Francisco.C.Lopez@gsk.com
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 8:55 AM
Subject: Cartoons
Thanks for bringing this up with the NY TImes. I did not realize
it, but now I know how they run their paper. Every Sunday, the
first thing I read is the Comics section. This gives me an instant
relief and gladness inside. I realize the amusement and childness
in me when I read the comics. This is the side of me that says
"Life ain't that serious, take a break, have a laugh and
be kind to your heart".
From: Charlie
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 8:36 AM
Subject: The award!
Isn't this the same "newspaper" that lost credibility
with a story later proven to be false. yet they wanted to be
first rather than correct. I have no respect for "scoop
mentality" or papers that adhere to it. Its editors are
worried about editing a cartoon that is obviously the opinion
of the artist, rather than the truthfulness of its "news"
and reporters. I did read it but don't anymore for the reason
above.
From: Bertram
H. Lowi
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:01 AM
Subject: The Herblock Award
To: Daryl Cagle
I agree with you that neither the Times nor Judith Miller
deserve an award in the name of the courageous anti-bullshitter
Herblock but, "evil"?, that's going a little too far.
I'm frankly delighted to see this dust-up because journalism
-- stifled by it's own sloth, self-importance, inbreeding, coziness
with the establishment, gutlessness, and seduction to the bottom
line-- desperately needs a thorough airing. No wonder the "Page
6 Estate" (what I call the bogus blaring Fourth Estate)
is flourishing at the expense of the enlightened public discourse
so necessary to a functioning democratic society. If the bottom
line becomes the standard for journalism, then we can expect
bottom feeders.
Bertram H. Lowi
From: Virginia
Smith
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:02 AM
Subject: Cartooning the Times
You do see a kind of unofficial "best cartoons of the week"
in the Sunday Week in Review, and they're one of the best things
about the paper any more. But Slate proves there are so many
good young cartoonists out there, I kind of like the idea of
the Times giving us readers a selection of the best cartoons
from all over the globe rather than having an in-house staff.
Not everybody can hit Herblock magnitude consistently, and an
open forum keeps the door open to new talent. They should just
give us more.
Like run a full page of the best cartoons at least once a week
and run at least one cartoon in each section one day during the
week: Business, NY/local, Sports, Science, Arts, Styles oh yes.
They could make it fair like they do with their op-ed columnists,
dueling cartoonists for Right and Left and may the best cartoon
win. Cartoons are so satisfying, visually, intellectually, and
morally, restoring justice through humor and puncturing pomposity
with a higher standard of thought where it hurts -- well, the
Times must be blind to miss the sheer reader appeal of cartoons.
News articles, columns and editorials may catch the reader's
eye or not, but what lively black and white drawing amid a sea
of gray print ever goes unread?
I fear P.C. has dimmed the Gray Lady's eyesight. As a reader,
I lament that more than anyone. ~ Virginia Smith
From: Jim Constantin
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 9:20 AM
Subject: Ban the NY Times!
I enjoy cartoons, editorial or
not. I only buy newspaper for the the cartoons; if I have time
I page through the paper and read an article or two that is of interest to me, but only if
I have time. My number priority is reading the "educational
pages" as I call them.
I was driving a tractor-trailer,
and would purchase a local paper where I was to page through.
One morning the only paper available was a NY Times, I gasp at
the price! Then I was got disgusted that their were to cartoons.
I felt ripped off! And vowed never to buy one again. I will pay
$0.50 for a daily, and even 2 bucks for a Sunday, JUST FOR THE
CARTOON!
Newspapers claim "freedom
of the press", well not allowing cartoons in a newspaper,
is infringing not only "freedom of the press", but
a cartoonist right to expression. Because a cartoon is a pictorial
EXPRESSION of a belief
or opinion. And pictures say a 1000 words.
Thank you,
Jim Constantin
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