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The Art of Dissent
Author: BobR
Date: 04/08/2009 12:39:09
With all of the discussion about whether newspapers will survive (or whether they should survive), the discussion often overlooks some of the services that will be lost. Besides the jobs lost at the printers, the jobs of the copy writers, the proof readers and the fact checkers, there is also the job of the political cartoonist. Since the time newspapers began, the political cartoon has been a unique art form, one that is at once disarming and well-armed with barbs. In the hands of an expert, it can distill a political point down to its essence, and present it in a way that gets the point across in seconds without requiring lengthy reading.
One of the first American political cartoons was "Join or Die" (by Ben Franklin):
It set in motion a long tradition of creative political dissent that has served this country well for over 2 1/2 centuries. With the loss of the papers, will we also lose the unique voices of the artist/commentator?
An article in the BBC online (how ironic is that?) describes the fate of cartoonist Ed Stein. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News for 31 years, and is currently pondering what to do next. Two of the drawings in the article show his feelings toward the loss of the "dailies":
Most newspapers print several political cartoons, but the reality is that each artist likely works for a specific paper, and the papers syndicate their "house" cartoonist to the other papers. With the loss of the papers, the cartoonists will now have to become freelance, and try to market their cartoons to the various online newspapers. Can this work? Will "papers" still pay for them? Will readers still read them?
For certain, there are some online political cartoons I read online: Tom Tomorrow, Overboard, Ted Rall... But they have their own websites and I seek them out. What about cartoonists like Ed Stein?
Unfortunately theirs is a style that does not inspire large works of art that command hefty paychecks, nor study in museums and colleges. Picasso's "Guernica", Diego Rivera's "Man at the Crossroads", and Salvidor Dali's "The Face of War" spoke the language of dissent in bold colors on a large canvas. Political cartoonists work in a medium that only really works on the small page.
Immediately after 9/11, Bush encouraged people to go shopping as a patriotic duty to keep the economy from crashing down. Perhaps now our patriotic duty is to buy the newspaper. By keeping the news in print, we're ensuring that the voice of dissent in its most artistic form will continue to have a home and a sponsor. We owe it to ourselves and the country's future.
One of the first American political cartoons was "Join or Die" (by Ben Franklin):
It set in motion a long tradition of creative political dissent that has served this country well for over 2 1/2 centuries. With the loss of the papers, will we also lose the unique voices of the artist/commentator?
An article in the BBC online (how ironic is that?) describes the fate of cartoonist Ed Stein. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News for 31 years, and is currently pondering what to do next. Two of the drawings in the article show his feelings toward the loss of the "dailies":
Most newspapers print several political cartoons, but the reality is that each artist likely works for a specific paper, and the papers syndicate their "house" cartoonist to the other papers. With the loss of the papers, the cartoonists will now have to become freelance, and try to market their cartoons to the various online newspapers. Can this work? Will "papers" still pay for them? Will readers still read them?
For certain, there are some online political cartoons I read online: Tom Tomorrow, Overboard, Ted Rall... But they have their own websites and I seek them out. What about cartoonists like Ed Stein?
Unfortunately theirs is a style that does not inspire large works of art that command hefty paychecks, nor study in museums and colleges. Picasso's "Guernica", Diego Rivera's "Man at the Crossroads", and Salvidor Dali's "The Face of War" spoke the language of dissent in bold colors on a large canvas. Political cartoonists work in a medium that only really works on the small page.
Immediately after 9/11, Bush encouraged people to go shopping as a patriotic duty to keep the economy from crashing down. Perhaps now our patriotic duty is to buy the newspaper. By keeping the news in print, we're ensuring that the voice of dissent in its most artistic form will continue to have a home and a sponsor. We owe it to ourselves and the country's future.
Comments:
Order comments Newest to Oldest Refresh Comments
Comment by 
wickedpam on 04/08/2009 13:12:37
wickedpam on 04/08/2009 13:12:37
Morning :hug:
Comment by 
clintster on 04/08/2009 13:15:06
clintster on 04/08/2009 13:15:06
Great post, Bobber! Mornin' everybody. 
Comment by 
Raine on 04/08/2009 13:43:55
Raine on 04/08/2009 13:43:55
:coffee: good morning!
Great blog today. Really, really great. So many forget the importance of newspapers in the seemingly small wall such as this, which are not really that small....
Great blog today. Really, really great. So many forget the importance of newspapers in the seemingly small wall such as this, which are not really that small....
Comment by 
Random on 04/08/2009 13:59:44
Random on 04/08/2009 13:59:44
Comment by 
BobR on 04/08/2009 14:07:56
I haven't heard about this...
BobR on 04/08/2009 14:07:56
Quote by Random:
Okay...Random is a little slow...but does anyone know what this article is referring too?
I haven't heard about this...
Comment by Raine on 04/08/2009 14:14:14
Tea Parties
I think Wonkette is likening the Tea to Anthrax.
Raine on 04/08/2009 14:14:14
Quote by BobR:Quote by Random:
Okay...Random is a little slow...but does anyone know what this article is referring too?
I haven't heard about this...
Tea Parties
I think Wonkette is likening the Tea to Anthrax.
Comment by 
velveeta jones on 04/08/2009 14:25:21
velveeta jones on 04/08/2009 14:25:21
I love political cartoons! Thanks for this blog post. As the newsPAPERS dwindle away, I will miss being able to cut out my favorites to hang on the fridge. *sigh*
As for the "shopping" that bush told us was our duty...... I am still trying to recover from all my f*cking patriotism.
:thud:
As for the "shopping" that bush told us was our duty...... I am still trying to recover from all my f*cking patriotism.
:thud:
Comment by 
TriSec on 04/08/2009 14:26:25
TriSec on 04/08/2009 14:26:25
Morning, comrades. Car is in the shop. Phone isn't ringing. Bank account is getting smaller.
:kickcan:
:kickcan:
Comment by wickedpam on 04/08/2009 14:36:05
wickedpam on 04/08/2009 14:36:05
why does this sound like it could be taken out by a Smart Car?
Comment by TriSec on 04/08/2009 14:50:19
TriSec on 04/08/2009 14:50:19
Haiku for the unemployed:
Woe:
No phone calls for me.
Sitting here alone at home.
My bank account shrinks.
Time:
Home with wife and son.
Someday soon, jobs will find me.
For now, I will play.
Revenge:
My manager sucks.
Why blame me for her failures?
Karma is a bitch.
Hope:
I get but few calls.
Those that find me sound quite good.
Check my references!
[See, I told you I can write a Haiku about anything, pretty much on demand. Wish I could make money at this.
- TriSec]
Woe:
No phone calls for me.
Sitting here alone at home.
My bank account shrinks.
Time:
Home with wife and son.
Someday soon, jobs will find me.
For now, I will play.
Revenge:
My manager sucks.
Why blame me for her failures?
Karma is a bitch.
Hope:
I get but few calls.
Those that find me sound quite good.
Check my references!
[See, I told you I can write a Haiku about anything, pretty much on demand. Wish I could make money at this.
- TriSec]
Comment by wickedpam on 04/08/2009 14:53:11
wickedpam on 04/08/2009 14:53:11
glitter budget :lol:
Comment by Random on 04/08/2009 15:35:22
I hope the officer is fired...cause missing a body in a car...in one of the seats...that's bad.
Random on 04/08/2009 15:35:22
Quote by Raine:
I wonder what they'll do when she doesn't show up in court.
I hope the officer is fired...cause missing a body in a car...in one of the seats...that's bad.
Comment by Random on 04/08/2009 15:36:51
I had a feeling that this was actually sent to someone...maybe it's not, and Wonkette's doing a funny...eh...but...
does Michell Malkin even know why the Boston Tea party occured? and what it meant?
Random on 04/08/2009 15:36:51
Quote by Raine:Quote by BobR:Quote by Random:
Okay...Random is a little slow...but does anyone know what this article is referring too?
I haven't heard about this...
Tea Parties
I think Wonkette is likening the Tea to Anthrax.
I had a feeling that this was actually sent to someone...maybe it's not, and Wonkette's doing a funny...eh...but...
does Michell Malkin even know why the Boston Tea party occured? and what it meant?
Comment by wickedpam on 04/08/2009 15:40:39
wickedpam on 04/08/2009 15:40:39
Comment by Raine on 04/08/2009 15:41:32
Raine on 04/08/2009 15:41:32
:yadda:
Comment by Raine on 04/08/2009 15:43:07
Oh it happened. Security in the Mail room was upped becuase of an increased number of tea bags being mailed.
And no I don't think Malkin et all understand what they are proposing.
This all actually started with Rick Santelli from CNBC....
Raine on 04/08/2009 15:43:07
Quote by Random:
I had a feeling that this was actually sent to someone...maybe it's not, and Wonkette's doing a funny...eh...but...
does Michell Malkin even know why the Boston Tea party occured? and what it meant?
And no I don't think Malkin et all understand what they are proposing.
This all actually started with Rick Santelli from CNBC....
Comment by Random on 04/08/2009 15:50:13
gotcha, it happened, not surprising. And I kind of wish they were a little more original. At least when the colonists did it, they were being pissy about taxes (without representation. That's the important part.), and the tea exemplified those taxes. These guys just copying a historical event, in a huge group of events that led to revolt, not just dumping tea into the boston harbor.
Money says these people don't even know the history of the war.
Random on 04/08/2009 15:50:13
Quote by Raine:Oh it happened. Security in the Mail room was upped becuase of an increased number of tea bags being mailed.Quote by Random:
I had a feeling that this was actually sent to someone...maybe it's not, and Wonkette's doing a funny...eh...but...
does Michell Malkin even know why the Boston Tea party occured? and what it meant?
And no I don't think Malkin et all understand what they are proposing.
This all actually started with Rick Santelli from CNBC....
gotcha, it happened, not surprising. And I kind of wish they were a little more original. At least when the colonists did it, they were being pissy about taxes (without representation. That's the important part.), and the tea exemplified those taxes. These guys just copying a historical event, in a huge group of events that led to revolt, not just dumping tea into the boston harbor.
Money says these people don't even know the history of the war.
Comment by 
livingonli on 04/08/2009 15:56:39
livingonli on 04/08/2009 15:56:39
Good morning everyone.
What a day yesterday. Thanks to having to plot two replays and two in-60's and a ton of other work I ended up not getting out of work until 3:30 last night and it was 4 AM by the time I got home. Which explains why I didn't get up until 11:15 this morning and why I haven't been on-line too much.
What a day yesterday. Thanks to having to plot two replays and two in-60's and a ton of other work I ended up not getting out of work until 3:30 last night and it was 4 AM by the time I got home. Which explains why I didn't get up until 11:15 this morning and why I haven't been on-line too much.
Comment by TriSec on 04/08/2009 16:17:08
TriSec on 04/08/2009 16:17:08
Hey gang....watching KO's podcast from last night...
I worked across the street (literally) from the SS Beaver in Boston Harbor for a few months in the early 2000's....the museum burned, and the ship has since gone away. There was a plan to rebuild, but that burned too and the pier is now abandoned.
And so another bit of our history fades away. (The SS Beaver was a replica.)
I worked across the street (literally) from the SS Beaver in Boston Harbor for a few months in the early 2000's....the museum burned, and the ship has since gone away. There was a plan to rebuild, but that burned too and the pier is now abandoned.
And so another bit of our history fades away. (The SS Beaver was a replica.)
The protest movement that culminated with the Boston Tea Party was not a dispute about high taxes. The price of legally imported tea was actually reduced by the Tea Act of 1773. Protestors were instead concerned with a variety of other issues. The familiar "no taxation without representation" argument, along with the question of the extent of Parliament's authority in the colonies, remained prominent. Some regarded the purpose of the tax program—to make leading officials independent of colonial influence—as a dangerous infringement of colonial rights. This was especially true in Massachusetts, the only colony where the Townshend program had been fully implemented.
Colonial merchants, some of them smugglers, played a significant role in the protests. Because the Tea Act made legally imported tea cheaper, it threatened to put smugglers of Dutch tea out of business. Legitimate tea importers who had not been named as consignees by the East India Company were also threatened with financial ruin by the Tea Act. Another major concern for merchants was that the Tea Act gave the East India Company a monopoly on the tea trade, and it was feared that this government-created monopoly might be extended in the future to include other goods.
South of Boston, protestors successfully compelled the tea consignees to resign. In Charleston, the consignees had been forced to resign by early December, and the unclaimed tea was seized by customs officials. There were mass protest meetings in Philadelphia. Benjamin Rush urged his fellow countrymen to oppose the landing of the tea, because the cargo contained "the seeds of slavery". By early December, the Philadelphia consignees had resigned and the tea ship returned to England with its cargo. The tea ship bound for New York City was delayed by bad weather; by the time it arrived, the consignees had resigned, and the ship returned to England with the tea.
Comment by wickedpam on 04/08/2009 16:21:18
No worries
We're all a little slow these days :)
wickedpam on 04/08/2009 16:21:18
Quote by livingonli:
Good morning everyone.
What a day yesterday. Thanks to having to plot two replays and two in-60's and a ton of other work I ended up not getting out of work until 3:30 last night and it was 4 AM by the time I got home. Which explains why I didn't get up until 11:15 this morning and why I haven't been on-line too much.
No worries
We're all a little slow these days :)
Comment by Raine on 04/08/2009 16:21:42
Oh history-shmistory... At least the are helping the economy by buying tea!
And yes, the important part was representation. They are strawmanning their own act of dissent.
Raine on 04/08/2009 16:21:42
Quote by Random:
gotcha, it happened, not surprising. And I kind of wish they were a little more original. At least when the colonists did it, they were being pissy about taxes (without representation. That's the important part.), and the tea exemplified those taxes. These guys just copying a historical event, in a huge group of events that led to revolt, not just dumping tea into the boston harbor.
Money says these people don't even know the history of the war.
And yes, the important part was representation. They are strawmanning their own act of dissent.
Comment by Raine on 04/08/2009 16:23:13
Raine on 04/08/2009 16:23:13
I am glad Thom is talking about this NSA fisa thing... been doing some serious research on this issue, and I think tomorrow I may have a thing or 2 to say about it...
Listening, learning taking notes.
Listening, learning taking notes.
Comment by BobR on 04/08/2009 16:40:09
Exaclty - the country HAS representation. We just happened to vote for representation that has a different point of view than these dunderheads.
BobR on 04/08/2009 16:40:09
Quote by Raine:Oh history-shmistory... At least the are helping the economy by buying tea!Quote by Random:
gotcha, it happened, not surprising. And I kind of wish they were a little more original. At least when the colonists did it, they were being pissy about taxes (without representation. That's the important part.), and the tea exemplified those taxes. These guys just copying a historical event, in a huge group of events that led to revolt, not just dumping tea into the boston harbor.
Money says these people don't even know the history of the war.
And yes, the important part was representation. They are strawmanning their own act of dissent.
Exaclty - the country HAS representation. We just happened to vote for representation that has a different point of view than these dunderheads.
Comment by livingonli on 04/08/2009 16:47:34
Considering how much the GOP was pushing for permanent one-party rule since the so-called "revolution" in '94. They certainly didn't want other views represented. Look at the Texas gerrymandering to weed out Republican seats as an example.
livingonli on 04/08/2009 16:47:34
Quote by BobR:Quote by Raine:Oh history-shmistory... At least the are helping the economy by buying tea!Quote by Random:
gotcha, it happened, not surprising. And I kind of wish they were a little more original. At least when the colonists did it, they were being pissy about taxes (without representation. That's the important part.), and the tea exemplified those taxes. These guys just copying a historical event, in a huge group of events that led to revolt, not just dumping tea into the boston harbor.
Money says these people don't even know the history of the war.
And yes, the important part was representation. They are strawmanning their own act of dissent.
Exaclty - the country HAS representation. We just happened to vote for representation that has a different point of view than these dunderheads.
Considering how much the GOP was pushing for permanent one-party rule since the so-called "revolution" in '94. They certainly didn't want other views represented. Look at the Texas gerrymandering to weed out Republican seats as an example.
Comment by Random on 04/08/2009 17:09:12
HA! Proof They have no idea what they're going on about. they don't want to pay taxes, by using a symbol that wasn't against taxes, but against representation.
Random on 04/08/2009 17:09:12
Quote by BobR:Quote by Raine:Oh history-shmistory... At least the are helping the economy by buying tea!Quote by Random:
gotcha, it happened, not surprising. And I kind of wish they were a little more original. At least when the colonists did it, they were being pissy about taxes (without representation. That's the important part.), and the tea exemplified those taxes. These guys just copying a historical event, in a huge group of events that led to revolt, not just dumping tea into the boston harbor.
Money says these people don't even know the history of the war.
And yes, the important part was representation. They are strawmanning their own act of dissent.
Exaclty - the country HAS representation. We just happened to vote for representation that has a different point of view than these dunderheads.
HA! Proof They have no idea what they're going on about. they don't want to pay taxes, by using a symbol that wasn't against taxes, but against representation.
Comment by Raine on 04/08/2009 17:11:33
Raine on 04/08/2009 17:11:33
Dolts. they are teabagging dolts.
Comment by Random on 04/08/2009 17:14:14
Random on 04/08/2009 17:14:14
yes...yes they are. And I find it hilarious...untill they start the armed revolt...then I'm in hiding.
Comment by livingonli on 04/08/2009 19:06:16
livingonli on 04/08/2009 19:06:16
Time to go head off to the salt mine again.
Comment by Raine on 04/08/2009 20:46:51
Raine on 04/08/2009 20:46:51
Listening to Ed Shultz... This is not going well for him today. I don't think he is used to people calling that are new to the show from his TV Gig. He sounds crankier than Randi -- he called 2 people idiots and on a coward... not cool.
That said... anyone know of cool neighborhoods in Baltimore?
That said... anyone know of cool neighborhoods in Baltimore?
Comment by 
Mondobubba on 04/08/2009 21:55:42
Fells Point.
Mondobubba on 04/08/2009 21:55:42
Quote by Raine:
Listening to Ed Shultz... This is not going well for him today. I don't think he is used to people calling that are new to the show from his TV Gig. He sounds crankier than Randi -- he called 2 people idiots and on a coward... not cool.
That said... anyone know of cool neighborhoods in Baltimore?
Fells Point.
Comment by Mondobubba on 04/08/2009 22:25:26
Mondobubba on 04/08/2009 22:25:26
GANDALF! PICARD! IN WAITING FOR GODOT! NORRICH! UK!
Comment by livingonli on 04/08/2009 22:36:43
You know the man from Fargo is now doing the show from the WWRL studios, the so-called "Air America Flagship" station.
livingonli on 04/08/2009 22:36:43
Quote by Raine:
Listening to Ed Shultz... This is not going well for him today. I don't think he is used to people calling that are new to the show from his TV Gig. He sounds crankier than Randi -- he called 2 people idiots and on a coward... not cool.
That said... anyone know of cool neighborhoods in Baltimore?
You know the man from Fargo is now doing the show from the WWRL studios, the so-called "Air America Flagship" station.
Comment by TriSec on 04/08/2009 23:00:25
TriSec on 04/08/2009 23:00:25
Evening, folks! Firing up the CBS Baseball Crack Device for the first time this season.....
Play Ball!
Play Ball!
Comment by Mondobubba on 04/08/2009 23:52:08
"Carbon Free Sugar." How stupid is this? Well lets start with C12H22O11 the chemical formula for sugar. Notice the carbon atoms. Perhaps the never took a chemistry class in college or high school marketing people meant "carbon neutral." I applaud Domino for the efforts in carbon offsets in sugar production, but the calling a compound that has carbon in it "carbon free" is just stupid.
Mondobubba on 04/08/2009 23:52:08
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
"Carbon Free Sugar." How stupid is this? Well lets start with C12H22O11 the chemical formula for sugar. Notice the carbon atoms. Perhaps the never took a chemistry class in college or high school marketing people meant "carbon neutral." I applaud Domino for the efforts in carbon offsets in sugar production, but the calling a compound that has carbon in it "carbon free" is just stupid.
Comment by TriSec on 04/09/2009 01:34:43
TriSec on 04/09/2009 01:34:43
That didn't take long. The Red Sox stink.
Comment by Mondobubba on 04/09/2009 01:38:23
That is massive statistical sample.
Mondobubba on 04/09/2009 01:38:23
Quote by TriSec:
That didn't take long. The Red Sox stink.
That is massive statistical sample.
Comment by Mondobubba on 04/09/2009 01:39:58
Mondobubba on 04/09/2009 01:39:58
The Woes are beating the crap out of the Yankees. Again. :swoon:
Comment by Mondobubba on 04/09/2009 01:41:19
Mondobubba on 04/09/2009 01:41:19
Plus the game's not over Tri. Seesh!
Comment by livingonli on 04/09/2009 02:51:45
livingonli on 04/09/2009 02:51:45
Is it just me or are the ball games getting longer this season? The control room next door to me is doing the Reds Game and it is now almost 4 hours long. At 3 1/2 hours, they were still in the eigth inning.