“Tone Deaf” and “Contemptible”: Politico Cartoon Causes Backlash
Cartoonist: “As a political cartoonist, I try to get people to think”
One of things that used to flummox me about the left is their sophomoric insistence on “all or nothing.” Children love the false dichotomy: either you buy me this iPhone, prom dress, car, or you hate me and wish I’d never been born. For Democrats and the left, this puerile insistence that there are only two answers (theirs and the wrong, wildly-extreme answer) manifests as, for example, you’re either against President Trump or you’re a white supremacist/Nazi/etc.
This all-or-nothing fallacy is at the root of the outrage concerning a Politico cartoon about Texans and Hurricane Harvey.
The left appears to believe that we need an immense sprawling federal government that manages every aspect of every citizen’s life; the only alternative, they appear to believe, is no government at all. This cartoon captures this narrow-mindedness.
The first problem with the cartoon is its crassness. People are still being saved, and it’s making fun of those same people.
The second problem is the stereotypes. It’s almost a caricature of what you’d expect a liberal cartoonist to draw in response to conservative Texans relying upon the government in their time of crisis. The Confederate flag T-shirt. The Gadsden Flag. The reference to being saved by God (which seems extremely dismissive of Christianity). The Texas secession banner. It’s all kind of … predictable?
The third problem is that, while this tragedy struck Texas, a red state, the most acute devastation in a populous area is in Houston. Harris County went for Hillary Clinton by double-digits, and neighboring Fort Bend County was blue as well. The population of both combined is more than 5 million — about one-fifth of the entire state of Texas.
But perhaps more than anything, the cartoon is a needlessly vast oversimplification of a very complex issue at a very sensitive time. There seems to be an attitude among some on the political left in America that people who believe in smaller government and lower taxes believe everything should be privatized and that the government shouldn’t be counted on to do anything. There is an attitude that if you don’t believe government should play a major role in something or increasing funding for something, you don’t believe in that thing.
The very epitome of political bigotry aimed directly at people in peril.
Way to go, geniuses.https://t.co/TZ91O817mM
— D.W.Robinson – Vendetta Shakespeare of TWlTTER (@_DWRobinson) August 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/Flyingright1/status/902979601168728067
https://twitter.com/CrowCove/status/902960386449612800
https://twitter.com/Thomasismyuncle/status/902961731403689994
Texans, the cartoon also suggests, are so busy clinging to their religion (the God who sends angels) that they ignorantly reject the greater power of the federal government. Those dumb rubes think God will save them, when we all know that only the federal government has that power.
Politico is being criticized for publishing a tone-deaf cartoon mocking the religious faith and political views of Houston residents in the aftermath of the flooding. The cartoon, drawn by artist Matt Wuerker, depicts a family sitting on the top of a house amid rising floodwaters on the verge of being rescued by a helicopter. One of the people calls the helicopter an “angel, sent by God,” to which the rescuer then sneers that he’s in the Coast Guard and sent by the government.
https://twitter.com/MQSullivan/status/902947504030961664
https://twitter.com/Cameron_Gray/status/902945637003657218
As of this writing, the cartoon is still up at Politico, and the cartoonist tweeted the following response to the backlash:
Respectfully— it's making fun of the Secessionist movement. Not at all aimed at all Texans. https://t.co/aI4RxRNjFm
— Matt Wuerker (@wuerker) August 30, 2017
Wuerker also issued a statement.
The Washington Examiner reports:
The cartoonist, for his part, defended himself Wednesday, claiming he meant no offense to the people of Texas, hundreds of whom are still displaced and living without basic utilities.
“As a political cartoonist, I try to get people to think – to consider the ironies and subtleties of the world we live in. This cartoon went with an extreme example of anti-government types – Texas Secessionists – benefitting [sic] from the heroism of federal government rescuers,” he told the Washington Examiner.
“It of course was not aimed at Texans in general, any more than a cartoon about extremists marching in Charlottesville could be construed as a poke at all Virginians,” he added. “My heart is with all the victims of Hurricane Harvey’s destruction and those risking their lives to save others.”
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The third problem is that, while this tragedy struck Texas, a red state, the most acute devastation in a populous area is in Houston. Harris County went for Hillary Clinton by double-digits, and neighboring Fort Bend County was blue as well.
But if they told the truth, it wouldn’t be ‘funny’!
The third problem is that, while this tragedy struck Texas, a red state, the most acute devastation in a populous area is in Houston. Harris County went for Hillary Clinton by double-digits, and neighboring Fort Bend County was blue as well.
This is the best part–shows what a clueless bozo the cartoonist is. The Confederate Flag t-shirt types are the volunteers trying to help the deeply blue Houstonians. Yet another dumb a** media lefty, living in their bubble.
Matt Wuerker=Bright Sunshine. In Texas we abbreviate that B.S.
I think I like the 5 Star Tweet:
“On behalf of Texas, f**k you”
🙂
““As a political cartoonist, I try to get people to think…”
Yeah. To think like useful idiots.
““As a political cartoonist, I try to get people to think…”
The irony of this liberal bozo is mocking the Texas secessionist movement — the real secessionist movement is in California.
The further irony that if Texas left the Union, Texas would do just fine taking care of itself. California would turn into Venezuela.
Who really needs to think is the useful idiot who drew this cartoon. And that, is the ultimate irony.
Be nice if he applied that to himself. A little thinking on his part…no, I don’t think he thinks.
He does think. He thinks he’s smart.
He succeeded in getting people to think, they think he’s a POS.
All of the “pray for” comments from so many people whenever disaster strikes always amuse me for the inherent hypocrisy, as much as the “but…Gov’t!” excuses from the rest.
L.I.B., Mrs. Kravitz, you’re still alive and kicking we see. How stereotypically bigoted of you, like Wuerker, to mock people that have a faith. I’ve seen people like you at death’s door, in terror before they enter the eternal realm of worm dirt. That is truly a different plane of hypocrisy that more should witness. Charlie Hebdoe has a job opening for people like you that would endeavor to move beyond mocking simple Christians. 🙂
This cartoon went with an extreme example of anti-government types – Texas Secessionists –
Someone needs to explain to this idiot, the difference between “anti-government” and “pro-liberty”.
It’ll fall on deaf ears. This guy wants to get invited to hollywood parties at any cost to his countries.
When is Congress going to hold hearings on the new blacklist in hollywood?
Conservative actress Julienne Davis is blacklisted:
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/09/01/actress-came-out-as-conservative-in-hollywood-heres-incredible-story-what-happened-next.html
We all know the left is still very bitter about losing the. White House, but damn to denigrate a group of people for a few laughs is beyond the pale. This cartoon shows how much the left has fallen since last November. Or is it they have decided to show their true selves for all of the world to see. Whatever the case may be, one thing is for sure, is there is no putting the genie back into the bottle.
“They have decided to show their true selves for all of the world to see…”
Well, more like they decided to show their true selves for the hollywood left to see – and get them on television.
“As a political cartoonist, I try to get people to think –”
Perhaps he should try a little of that his own self…
Please, political cartoons are supposed to be absurd and are used to belittle political opponents. This cartoon does that. Its accuracy and good taste is largely irrelevant.
“…political cartoons are supposed to be absurd and are used to belittle political opponents…”
Where did you get that standard?
They are supposed to urge a point of view – not spread lies or hate about non-politicans.
I am an atheist but I will gladly accept anybody’s offer of prayers. They can do no harm. And it helps the people who offer up those prayers feel less helpless, especially during natural disasters. In some instances, prayers are literally all a person has to offer. I can’t condemn good will and a giving heart because it doesn’t match my personal belief system.
Image this: CalExit secessionists are left wing ‘flying spaghetti monster’ atheists, anti-military radicals – clinging to their tattered family copy of Mao’s Little Red Book, a medical maryijuana bong and a V for Vendetta antifa mask.
Heh…. and it’s still either a mystery or the greatest successfully executed Russian conspiracy ever to these people that Trump got elected.
The bad news; we live among these idiots.
The good news; looking pretty good for Trump in 2020.
Listen, we live among idiots because we tolerate a GOPe class of corrupt politicians selling out both us and our country for an easy, fat lifestyle.
If this were the GOP of old, congressional hearings would be heard, and leftists educators creating the ‘idiots’ we are living among would be hauled before cameras and exposed to the public – then laws would be passed returning normalicy and patriotism to education.
In the first grade our teacher, Mrs. Burger(bits. Burgerbits was a brand of dog food) said, “Thank God for the bridge.” She was talking about some catastrophe that was averted by a bridge. I asked the girl sitting next to me, for she was so smart about everything, “Why does Mrs. Burger(bits) thank God for the bridge when it was people who made the bridge, shouldn’t they thank the bridge building men for that?” She looked at me like I’m a perfect idiot, in that ‘where do I even start’ mode. Then she answered, “God made the people who made the bridge.”
I go, “Oh.”
That clarified it simply enough. She really was good at straightening things succinctly.
Then I thought, no, the bridge builder’s parents made the people who built the bridge. But then she’s say God made the parents. And I’d go, no, their grandparents did. Then she’d go, God made the grandparents, and I’d go, no, their great grandparents did that, and back and forth we’d go like that all the way back to Adam and Eve, or back to before them, to the things before humans. Back to the dinosaurs. Back before dinosaurs. Man, oh man, these Christians are impossible. You can’t even talk to them.
This cartoon went with an extreme example of anti-government types – Texas Secessionists – benefitting [sic] from the heroism of federal government rescuers
Interesting—so, does he know of any Texas Secessionists who were rescued, or is he just making up excuses?
One thing that has really struck me about Texas flood is private individuals jumping in to help out people in trouble. People jammed together in boats, some black, white, Asian whatever. But all working together to help one another. No Democrat identity politics here. Americans working together for the common good!
The cartoon would have been more accurate if it had included a Chick-fil-A manager on Jet Skis rescuing the guy.
Is it just a coincidence that “Wuerker” sounds a lot like “Wanker”.
Speaking of cartoons: where is Sessions hiding?
What a disappointment this guy turned out to be. Compare Session’s hiding, to the activism of that sleazebag Eric Holder in working against our way of life.
Clinton gets away with treason, Antifa grows, etc etc – the bully pulpit of the attorney general is silent.
Sessions needs to be replaced.
Four ‘down’ arrows (2 probably from trolls), but no one answers as to Sessions’ absence.
Another PC milestone: progressive condescension.
Another problem seems to be that the cartoonist thinks that people who are forced to pay into the government should not receive the services and benefits for which they have paid.
I’m in Houston. I estimate 95% of people self-rescued or were rescued by civilians.
Check this out: Redneck Army saves National Guard. #thisisAmerica #HurricaneHarvey #HoustonStrong
https://mobile.twitter.com/michaelkeyes/status/903222264858124289/video/1
That is so cool.
The the cartoonist also make fun of the California succession movement? Oh, and this ‘making people think’ nonsense. I don’t need a political cartoonist for that particular function, but it does make me think that he’s an idiot.
Firsthand accounts from Texas I’ve heard were that the volunteer rescue forces (people who just got up and got helping without waiting for permission) worked faster and more efficiently than the official government search and rescue, and successfully evacuated several areas while the government people were still getting their safety gear on. So my reaction to the cartoon was “you didn’t actually pay attention to the people on the ground (in the boats?) did you?”
He should ask CNN how Texans treat assholes.
Texas-size a-holes, to boot.
The cartoonist’s smear against conservatives, rather than racists, is proven by including the Tea Party Gadsden flag in the corner. The Tea Party has never been about secession.