Sunday, May 29, 2005 Readers speak out about Horsey's recent military cartoon
By MARK TRAHANT SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR Rufus King -- the one-time namesake of King County -- once complained that the words used in American political debates were useless. "The abuse of words," he said, "is as pernicious as the abuse of things." But what is an abuse of words? King and many 19th-century politicians argued against using words that were all-purpose, those that could be cited as code in a debate without really revealing anything specific. The words then might be: liberty, democracy, honor and love of country. Better arguments focused on words that were sharp and clear. Nothing in our political discourse -- then and now -- is as clear as a cartoon. Readers from across the country were offended by a Tuesday cartoon drawn by the Post-Intelligencer's David Horsey. Cartoon http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20050524/cartoon20050524.gif It's hard "to reply in a measured, polite way. I suppose it's easy for him to create such a drawing and then sit back and let all of us so-called brain-dead, red-state Americans slobber our outrage at him," said one e-mail. "I imagine he must joyfully see himself as quite the 'Agent Provocateur' (No? It pains him greatly to be forced to speak such uncomfortable 'truths?' But, of course!) What courage for him. The truth-seer speaking truth to power, come-what-may." Many of the offended readers were connected to the military. "I served over 21 years to make the world safe for you to spread your hate poison," wrote a retired Air Force major. "It was worth it. Each day we get another example of why journalists are rated as one of the least respected professions." This intense reaction -- that I know from the telephone calls -- ought to open a window about how different parts of America think. Why would this cartoon, above all others, incite such reaction? Horsey explained his thinking about the cartoon. He said it started rolling around in his mind when he saw The New York Times story about repeated instances of torture and details about the deaths of at least two inmates in Afghanistan. The reports were based on U.S. Army criminal investigations and it is similar to allegations raised by other agencies as well as the International Red Cross. "I am not making this stuff up," Horsey said. "The mainstream press is not making this stuff up. It is real and is of great concern to our military. I should think it would be of concern to anyone who cares about the image of America in the world. It is unfathomable to me that folks who claim to believe in American values get upset about a poorly sourced item in Newsweek or a cartoon that is almost a literal interpretation of the facts, yet seem to be unconcerned about torture being perpetrated in their name." But why call attention to this issue? This is where the debate gets interesting, Horsey's reason is "a true patriot is one who loves his country enough to call to account those who shame the flag by despicable actions that in no way reflect the guiding principles of this republic. This is not a liberal idea, a radical idea or a treasonous idea. It is, in fact, a rather traditional, all-American idea. Making excuses for torture is common practice in banana republics and authoritarian regimes, but it is alien and antithetical to our constitutional democracy." Several of those I talked to do not buy this reasoning. They said the cartoon made the military all "guilty" instead of reflecting the actions of only a few. Others went further and said any questioning of military misdeeds during a war should be considered treason. "I don't think half the nation (probably the liberal half) thinks we are at war," one reader told me in an e-mail. "Horsey is a wonderful artist and very clever, but you can't convince me he isn't full of hate for the president, the military and anyone associated with the administration. I don't see how anyone could interpret his work otherwise." We have an interpretation gap. There's a natural tension between freedom and sedition that is as old as this country (even during wars). One side has always argued that dissent makes this country stronger, while the other has claimed we should rally around our leaders and the military (sometimes even being willing to jail those who cannot agree). We may never bridge the gap. Some of us will look at such cartoons, get the point and think of ways U.S. institutions can be made stronger. Others will look at the same sketch, get angry and demand repudiation. This gap is so wide that it may never be bridged; maybe it's a divide that will always exist in this country. We value freedom too much, the very reason why the First Amendment is incorporated into our founding documents. We laugh, get angry, agree, disagree, write e-mails, make phone calls, cancel a newspaper subscription or find a new favorite cartoonist. It is this contradiction that's the value we share. Tomorrow is Memorial Day. I'll be thinking about our sons and daughters in far-off lands because they represent those outrageous values. And it all starts with an abuse of words. Mark Trahant is editor of the editorial page. E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/EHLuJD/.WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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