Cartoons
- This page was written in September, 2018, during the time Brett Kavanaugh was
nominated to the Supreme Court -- more precisely, after the hearing but before the vote.
- This cartoon was created by Gary Varvel (here's his
Facebook page),
and is shown in
this article
by Business Insider. Notice, right below the headline is a picture of Kavanaugh. Naturally, you are supposed to associate
him with the outrage, apology and cartoon with which he had nothing to do.
- The text reads: "HERE ARE MY DEMANDS: NO QUESTIONS FROM LAWYERS, DIM THE LIGHTS, I WANT ROSES, SPARKLING WATER, A BOWL OF M&Ms..."
- The obvious point of the cartoon is to suggest the "demands" made to the Senate Hearing Committee
were a little over the top -- you know -- like Kavanaugh must testify first. (Think that one through.)
Notice, the cartoon in no way implies Ford's testimony might not be true.
- According to the article, the uproar was so loud and the cartoon so egregious (really?)
the newspaper printed an apology. The article linked above states: "Ronnie Ramos, the executive editor of the Indianapolis Star, said ... that the paper 'has a responsibility to promote a civil discourse and to present diverse viewpoints in a way that does not demean or appear to belittle anyone who says they are the victim of a sexual assault.'"
Translation: Ms. Ford (or any woman claiming sexual assault), is to be treated as a Sacred Cow and may not be the object of scrutiny, not even in a political cartoon.
- Does this same standard and concern also apply to those accused of sexual assault? Hell, no.
It's perfectly fine to "demean or appear to belittle anyone" accused of sexual assault.
In fact, if you're accused and have an 'R' next to your name or are nominated for the Supreme Court
by a President with an 'R' next to his/her name, then you are automatically presumed guilty.
See how that works? It's called fairness and equality.
-
The cartoon to the right
was created by Jim Carry and published on Sep. 24 on twitter.
The text reads: "Colleges care more about donors than the victims of on-campus rape.
That's why women don't report it and why ENTITLED LITTLE SHITS like Injustice Kavanaugh
get to party and pillage their way to the Supreme Court. I'd like to suggest a new
unform for the highest court in the land."
- So, there you have it, folks. It's perfectly fine to call Kavanaugh an "ENTITLED LITTLE SHIT"
and to depict him on the Supreme Court wearing a ski mask anxiously waiting to sexually assault
some female supporter or intern (where have I heard something like that before?).
- It needs pointing out
that
- No one, including Ford, has ever filed a police report against Kavanaugh
claiming sexual assault. The question is: Why not?
- Kavanaugh has NEVER been the object of an arrest, charge, indictment, trial,
nor conviction.
- The cartoon below shows Trump giving Kavanaugh a Get Out Of Jail Free Card
and says: "HE'S PRO-LIFE, PRO-CORPORATION, AND, BEST OF ALL, PRO-I'M-ABOVE-THE-LAW.
WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?"
- Here we see Trump approving of Kavanaugh (thumbs up) and complicit in making sure
he is above the law.
- One of my pet peeves is this obvious double standard and it's time
to start pointing this out and pushing back.
- Don't get me wrong. I have NO PROBLEM with ANY of these cartoons. They make a point
even if I don't like them nor agree ... but that's the beauty of freedom. We are allowed
to offend and in the process be offended -- or at least we used to be. Now, it appears "tolerance", "diversity",
"inclusion" and "free speech" are only supposed to swing one way -- and those who preach those
gospels the loudest are often the least tolerant, accusing those with whom they disagree of every
'ism' and 'phobe' imaginable.
- My summation is this:
- OK to demonize those accused of sexual assault
NOT OK to even whisper about an accuser
- the right wants freedom
- the left wants control
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