Bring on the Revolution (cartoon archive)

Saturday, September 25, 2004

Iraq cartoon challenge to Bush

John Plunkett Wednesday April 21, 2004 The Guardian

The Doonesbury cartoon strip, long the scourge of US presidents, has caused more trouble for George Bush with a storyline that will leave an all-American hero seriously injured in Iraq.
But the publishers have decided it could be so offensive that it has sent out a warning about today's strip, saying they will understand if newspapers choose not to run it.

So far 10 newspapers have complained, even though the cartoon is renowned for its ability to outrage American sensitivities with, for instance, tales of masturbation and presidential cocaine abuse.

Creator Garry Trudeau's latest storyline is the most controversial yet, featuring former American football coach BD suffering a serious battlefield injury and waking up to find his left leg amputated.

The character, a fervently pro-war Republican, is an army public affairs officer embedding journalists in frontline military units.

Newspaper editors have already expressed concern about the strip, not necessarily because of the storyline but because of its colourful language.

"The subject matter... in large part prompted by the nearly 4,000 wounded troops in Iraq, is a serious one," warned the strip's distributor, Universal Press, to its 1,400 subscribing newspapers in the US.

"With that in mind, we think the language in the Friday release is warranted. We understand if you choose not to run it, but neither a substitute nor a change will be provided."
Trudeau said he came up with the storyline because he wanted to illustrate the sacrifices that American soldiers were making.

"It's a task any writer should approach with great humility, but I think it's worth doing. We are at war, and we can't lose sight of the hardships war inflicts on individual lives."
Around 10 newspapers have so far expressed concerns to Universal Press. The strip appears in thousands of newspapers around the world, including the Guardian.

Trudeau said the character he created 36 years ago would cope with the injury "probably the same way so many wounded vets seem to - with gratitude for having had one's life spared, empathy and respect for those who have suffered worse, and a grim sense of humour indispensable to fending off despair".

US newspaper editors were divided over the use of the phrase "Son of a bitch!". "If you look down and suddenly part of your leg's been blown away, you're certainly not going to say, 'Goodness gracious!'" said Tampa Tribune editor and vice-president, Frank Denton. "In fact, 'Son of a bitch!' is fairly mild compared to what I'd say."

Doonesbury made waves last year when two characters discussed a study that found men who masturbate often in their 20s are 30% less likely to get prostate cancer, with around 300 papers refusing to run it. In 2000 at least two editors pulled an instalment that accused George W Bush of cocaine abuse.

Fans of the strip will be familiar with BD. A former American football quarterback, Gulf war reservist and California highway patrol officer, he was captured by the Vietcong and wounded by a beer can in Vietnam, according to the comic strip's website.

He was later diagnosed with Gulf war syndrome, before returning to the region for the second Gulf conflict.