Just canceled my LA Times subscription because of today’s Mallard Fillmore cartoon. I hope plenty of other people will do the same. Bruce Tinsley is free to have his opinion, but not to shove it in my face. He has his male character saying “I feel like we’re a little closer to being a civilized society, now that we’ve abolished the death penalty for everyone under 18! And a pregnant woman, with her stomach with a thought balloon of “well… not exactly everybody!”. The woman, of course, gets to have no opinion or express any thought, as apparently all Republicans believe women are not entitled to them. She merely stands with a vacuous stare on her face, her eyes covered with glasses so we can’t even see what her inner thoughts might be at all.
And this is what gets me. I could take the right’s opinions, if they would leave me with the opportunity to express my own. I could take their intolerance, if they would not insist on me being tolerant of their actions to make women totally voiceless in society again. They have every right to think whatever backwards, misogynistic thoughts they please – but they sure don’t have the right to silence my thought and my opinions.
Whatever one feels about abortion, and I think we can all agree it’s a difficult and unpleasant choice to have to make, it’s the woman’s choice that counts. To silence her opinion, her thoughts, her feelings about what happens in her life and any potential child’s life, is inane.
18 Responses
I hate that cartoon. Here, it’s buried in the classifieds (along with Boondocks) and I can avoid it.
The right will never have the power they want, the power to make people think how they want them to think, and it frustrates them to no end. They even threaten judges these days. When I see their frustration expressed daily in outlets such as that stupid cartoon, it gives me satisfaction. So I try not to let it get to me, but rather to see just how desparate and insecure they feel inside, so much so that they can’t stand that I mihgt have thoughts that disagree with theirs…
I am another individual who finds “Mallard Fillmore” completely un-funny. The author is entitled to his opinions, but I am so tired of seeing the simplistic black-and-white thinking presented in his cartoons. I am particularly sick of seeing the word “liberal” used as if it were equivalent to communists or that they are responsible for all of the social ills today. In contrast, the “moral valules” of the ultra-right are, of course, far superior, which explains their great sensitivity to the human suffering that is part of our pseudo-civilized world. Yeah, right. If the philosophy of the right really wants to talk about “moral values”, then let’s start hearing about how they would help poor families (the ones who must not have abortions) are able to provide a decent living for their children, one that includes health care. Or does the conservative right really mean that they value life, until birth, then you are on your own.
I won’t cancel a newspaper because of any strip, but I deeply resent the simplistic thinking and the picking-and-choosing approach to blasting anything not being supported by the current Repulbican-run administration. In my opinion, their idea of Democracy is that everyone iss free to believe what the admiinistration believes. That’s a pretty limited definition of democracy.
Simply put, a comic strip (political or otherwise) has to be funny. It has to at least try and evoke a laugh. The above mentioned strip, like the vast majority of Tinsley’s work is a purely political statement without even an attempt at humor. The LA Times carries another conservative strip, “Prickley City”. While I rarely agree with the writer’s view, I often laugh at the strip and appreciate the artwork. “Mallard Fillmore” is bombastic, riddled with strawman arguments and just plain un-funny.
This is in response to the above comment about the pregnant woman.
You think republicans are twisted????? How about the fact that reps want to rid the society of evil murders and save innocent babies from wrongful termination as compared to the dems who want to save the evil people in this world and let them off the hook for their crimes and yet are willing to kill innocent children that have done nothing to deserve their fate. Who is really the hypocritical pin head here? I think I have to agree with the reps on this one, sorry.
Furthermore, as a female I find myself more and more convinced that the republicans have the correct side of things. You may laugh me off as a religious fanatic, but don’t. I’m agnostic and am guided only by my morality, ethics and humanity. While I may not always agree with this cartoon, I think it has its humourous moments and has some political value.
This is in response to the above comment about the pregnant woman.
You think republicans are twisted????? How about the fact that reps want to rid the society of evil murders and save innocent babies from wrongful termination as compared to the dems who want to save the evil people in this world and let them off the hook for their crimes and yet are willing to kill innocent children that have done nothing to deserve their fate. Who is really the hypocritical pin head here? I think I have to agree with the reps on this one, sorry.
Furthermore, as a female I find myself more and more convinced that the republicans have the correct side of things. You may laugh me off as a religious fanatic, but don’t. I’m agnostic and am guided only by my morality, ethics and humanity. While I may not always agree with this cartoon, I think it has its humourous moments and has some political value.
PROREP, I don’t think Republicans are twisted, and never said that. I don’t know what “evil murderers” you refer to, since I have three close friends and relatives who have had abortions and they are not evil murderers. I suggest if you had ever been in the situation yourself and had to face it you would feel differently.
This talk of evil strikes me as your problem. You don’t want to see that abortion is not evil, and your notion that those who need one are evil is condemning people to your definition instead of understanding what they are really feeling and thinking, which was EXACTLY my point. Thank you for confirming I was indeed correct in my assessment.
Mallard Fillmore is a bad comic strip. It is so bad, I read it, and it blew, hard chunky peices. Listen, I am both a Democrat, and a Republican. And it feels great. I like both sides, because they both offer something I can relate too. And in a way, I think that all of you enjoy at least one aspect of either side. Now on the issue of abortion….. it should be allowed in any case. Period. Anyone else who thinks otherwise is just dumb. Seriously. I don’t care what you have to say, abortion is awesome for everyone…. and pro-abortion people can go suck Mallard Fillmores salty crusted balls. Although….. I do kinda feel where you are coming from, not wanting to harm innocent babies, and protecting those who can’t speak for themselves, but come on…. this is the 20th century! Come on people! Get with the freakin’ program! That means you too Mallard Fillmore! Doonesbury can kick your ass any day of the week! Republicans shouldn’t feel sad that everyone makes fun of them, and thinks they are dumb. Although they are all good, smart, logical folk with some redeeming qualities, they really brought it upon themselves. Scandals, Bill O’ Reilly, Corruption, Bush O’ My! Anyhoo…. I wish both parties the best of luck! Republicans, for their war on crime, drugs, and hippies. And Democrats, for their abortions, free-thinking ideals, and womens-rights supporting ways!
I like Mallard Fillmore, and political cartoons in general. Put Mallard right next to Doonesbury. They’re flip sides of the political coin, an outlet for that cartoonist’s political views.
No, they’re not.
Doonesbury is funny. Mallard Fillmore is just mean and stupid.
Donna, you just can’t admit than someone can have a opinion different than your own. That’s what I dislike about libs. They can’t simply disagree with someone: the other person has to be demonized and slandered. Grow up.
And while we’re on the subject, Doonesbury hasn’t been funny in many years. Trudeau has gotten far too full of himself, and far too far to the left. If you can’t take, I suggest you keep your mouth shut.
Donna – sorry, I over-reacted.
It’s ok, George, we all do.
I don’t really believe in left and right anyway, they are just labels we use. I wouldn’t say I am a liberal — in fact my voter registration is still libertarian, since I actually believe all opinions have a right to be heard.
But I get to have my opinion about their opinion, too. ;^)
I HATE MALLARD FILLMORE!! I HATE IT!
I refuse to even LOOK at my local paper’s Life Etc section because the Raleigh N&O is so obsessed with not appearing biased, they publish this pathetic excuse for a comic even though, when they tested it, everyone responded negatively.
Mallard Fillmore is never funny… and, as with most right-wing attempts at “humor,” it falls flat on its face. Look at how quickly Fox News’ “comedy” show lasted.
I do love Prickly City. I’m far on the left but it’s hilarious and I think the point of view is more libertarian, anyway.
… what I meant is “look how quickly Fox News’…. show was canceled
Does Bruce Tinsley have compromising photos of the owner of the comics syndicate? It is so awful, so stupid, so clumsily partisan, so badly drawn…and, the worst sin of all, so very unfunny.
While I think you may be making too big a deal about this comic, Mallard Fillmore is painfully unfunny. Conservatives aren’t real good at being funny. Most of their humor is very self righteous.