Anthony McIntyre admires The Nib for taking a stand in support of a censored political cartoonist.
The action of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette pulsates with an echo from 2006 when political Islam launched a campaign involving considerable violence, the purpose of which was to suppress political images by Danish cartoonists. The purpose of the cartoons was part of an exercise in exploring fear: why people were afraid to draw images depicting Mohammad, Islam's prophet of choice. The then editor of Charlie Hebdo was to the fore in challenging that nefarious campaign of censorship by political Islam. The staff of Charlie Hebdo, including a later editor were subsequently massacred by religious fascists in Paris. Charlie Hebdo had a well established reputation for producing cartoons often acerbic, that specialised in mocking religion and holding a mirror up to clerical power.
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette in similar vein as political Islam is seeking to protect the image of US president Donald J Trump, he of J is for genius renown.
It has taken to suppressing the work of former Pulitzer finalist Rob Rogers on the grounds that it is too critical of Trump. In three months alone, nineteen cartoons or ideas for cartoons were spiked.
The Pensive Quill is not going to take up the Skibereen Eagle role of "keeping an eye" on Trump. But it will make its own contribution to opposing those who try to suffocate artistic expression and satire.
Over the next ten days in place of its usual A Morning Thought, the suppressed cartoons will feature in TPQ as an act of appreciation for both the censored cartoonist and The Nib for providing breathing space for art that some powerful forces want smothered.
When Robert De Niro took to the podium to say one thing, Fuck Trump, he started a trend. While he did not elaborate to the almost Niemoller point of saying fuck Trump before he fucks you, there is no reason to feel he meant to convey something else.
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Trump will not only fuck you but will fuck every progressive value society has nurtured and drag it back to some form of biblical immorality, within which every unspeakable cruelty will have its day and say while you will be silenced:
I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13 to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained the government for his purposes.
Even when the writing on the wall is not what everyone wants to read, the right to write and draw on the wall remains of critical importance to society. It is not some trivial pastime to be occasionally indulged by officialdom, but a vital intellectual function that fuels both reason and imagination, without which, any status quo remains unquestioned. If we cannot reason it we deprive ourselves of imagining how it might be made better. Creative license is not something to be trumped by Trump or his Omega Man backers, writing their own script to suit a world where rights exist for Ourselves Alone.
In the spirit of the freedom to think, inquire, write, draw, reason, imagine, TPQ shall feature the censored cartoons.
Very brave of De Niro to speak truth to power in front of such a hostile crowd and hostile media. And I know he would of said the same about his friend Weinstein if he knew about his ‘predilections’ even decades ago.
ReplyDeleteSport stars, journalists and the arts need to continue to use their platform to humiliate those who dare to think differently, there should be no escape until racial equality and honest journalism (to name but two) are restored to Pre-Trump levels. Such a typically brave trend. #Clinton2020
Daithi, what are you smoking? So you think a 70 yr old man waving his arms about shouting "Fcuk Trump" is very brave. Let's keep things in context and perspective. Bobby De Niro played up to a bunch of over rated actors who ego's are only eclipsed by their salaries while Donald was taking to Kim about getting rid of nuclear weapons, trying to make this rock a safer place. Who is the braver man?
ReplyDeleteThis line has to be a wind up by anyones standards.....
"there should be no escape until racial equality and honest journalism (to name but two) are restored to Pre-Trump levels. Such a typically brave trend. #Clinton2020."
Exactly how honest a journalist do you think John Podesta who writes for the Washington Post is? This is what Andrew Breitbart, a real investigative journalist said about Podesta shortly before he was murdered. What equality did the Clinton Foundation give to the victims in the aftermath of the January 12th 2010 Haiti earthquake? Apart from Laura Silsby,.Now John Podesta, who was Hilary's go to man to fix things (he had the same job for Bill and Obama), helped get Silsby's charge reduced.
The reason Daithi things like that don't get reported is because the journalist's, who you appear to get a lot of your opinions from are to busy shoving mics into drugged filled sport star promoting Nikes latest what ever or reporting on what a grumpy pensioner said to a bunch of coked up thespians. While reading from a script
No dissension allowed...............
""Sport stars, journalists and the arts need to continue to use their platform to humiliate those who dare to think differently"..
Wouldn't it be better if journalists took Mark Twain's advice about saying nothing and let everyone think you are a fool.. They deffo should not be used to stem opinions, free thought, unless you word for the London Evening Standard, there it is standard practice as long as k the price is right
frankie,
ReplyDeleteI think you'll find it was a pisstake post.
Frankie , you talkin’ to me?
ReplyDeleteHaha I’m parodying the reaction these out of touch elites think they will elicit. The Academy, the BBC, and seemingly every third world charity have covered up shocking abuses, yet still feel fit to be our judge. I think something passed over into them during their spirit dinner sessions, paedophilic demonic entities now control them.
I wonder if this is on trend
ReplyDeleteAnother actor, Peter Fonda "WE SHOULD RIP BARRON TRUMP FROM HIS MOTHER’S ARMS AND PUT HIM IN A CAGE WITH PEDOPHILES AND SEE IF MOTHER WILL WILL STAND UP AGAINST THE GIANT ASSHOLE SHE IS MARRIED TO. 90 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STREETS ON THE SAME WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY. FUCK"
and
"WE SHOULD HACK THIS SYSTEM, GET THE ADDRESSES OF THE ICE AGENTS CBP AGENTS AND SURROUND THEIR HOMES IN PROTEST. WE SHOULD FIND OUT WHAT SCHOOLS THEIR CHILDREN GO TO AND SURROUND THE SCHOOLS IN PROTEST. THESE AGENTS ARE DOING THIS CUZ THEY WANT TO DO IT. THEY LIKE DOING THIS. FUCK"
Interesting focus on their kids.
I for one would happily observe where millionaire dried up husks find themselves in the shake up if their escalations ever take place.