Chan Lowe cartoon: We're mad as hell...
Nobody has a corner on anger. We’re all angry.
We’re angry that a lifetime of hard work leaves only the promise of more hard work (if we can hang onto it) until we drop, rather than the retirement our parents deserved and got.
We’re angry about the moral degradation of society. We’re angry about huge Wall Street bonuses for people who caused us to lose our homes, about loud hip-hop music and toenail fungus. A million affronts--some petty, some gross. All irritating.
Some say our anger stems from fear. Fear that “they” have taken away our country, and that we’ll lose what’s left of it if we don’t mobilize to snatch it back.
If they have, where have they taken it? If our guns can stop their act of larceny, what direction do we point them in? Who are “they?” If “they” are really Big Government, how do we contain it? Do we go down to the federal courthouse and shoot out the windows?
You know what we need? We need scapegoats. What’s more American than finding a scapegoat? That’s it—let’s focus on people who don’t talk like us, look like us, or think like us. Let’s start with that guy who wasn’t even born here, yet acts like he’s running the place.
Whew… That makes us feel better already.
CHAN LOWE has been the Sun Sentinel’s first and only editorial cartoonist for the past twenty-six years. Before that, he worked as cartoonist and writer for the Oklahoma City Times and the Shawnee (OK) News-Star.
Comments
Keep it up, Chan. Your contributions to the public discourse are appreciated. You make serious business funny...or do you take funny business seriously? Either way, it's important to contrast the one-siders by looking askance at them and their issues.
Posted by: perspicio | September 15, 2009 10:31 PM
Chan,
Get the wording right.. In a socialist government (like this one), the presidents minions are called czars.
Posted by: cn | September 16, 2009 7:16 AM
hey cn,
Isn't it great that Chan finally drew a cartoon with you in mind? You must be damned proud!
Posted by: christopher | September 16, 2009 8:13 PM
Actually, I think someone does have a corner on rage, in this case. Enraged self-righteous indignation to the brink of violence, as a proof of the validity of one's political views, is a tactic that's used primarily by the political right, e.g. Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity, etc. When the political left wants to construct a supporting argument for their views, they're more likely to use satire, irony, and sarcasm, e.g. Stewart and Colbert.
Posted by: Jan | September 18, 2009 11:15 AM
"We’re angry about the moral degradation of society. We’re angry about huge Wall Street bonuses for people who caused us to lose our homes, about loud hip-hop music and toenail fungus."
But the BIGGEST PROBLEM is GOVERNMENT that is TOO BIG, TOO INVOLVED IN ISSUES THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE.
Posted by: Boca Bubba | April 21, 2010 7:56 AM
Hmmm, if they is "we", then anyone who isn't "we" is "anti-we." then where was "anti-we" as Haliburton/KBR, Blackwater stole BILLIONS from America and Blackwater did as they pleased, not to mention the suspension of Habeus Corpus and declaring an un-just war (it was free to Glen Beck, but EVERYBODY is paying for it) not to mention the banking fiasco which was the fault of de-regulation...Reagan). It was the "anti-we" that set the country up for failure. Where were the protesters then? Oh, it was WE who protested and were called "Un-American".
Posted by: Conchchowder | August 19, 2010 12:43 PM
Chan, isnt this all just a culture war between those who generally oppose changes in policy, and "progressives" who push for these changes to our society?
Sure lots of people are angry about growing entitlements, taxes, deficits, spending priorities and the like, but why throw the gun-toting, ball-cap wearing guy into the stereotype ? Isnt that just another form of label to denigrate people with an opposing point of view?
Posted by: Simon | August 19, 2010 4:18 PM