Category: human rights

A very disturbing development…

Posted on August 19, 2013 by - free speech, human rights, politics

Yesterday as I was finishing up a deadline, I noticed this at the Guardian website. The partner of  Glenn Greenwald (one of the journalists who broke the Snowden/NSA story) was detained for 9 hours at London’s Heathrow airport.  As an American and an editorial cartoonist, this is a very disturbing development.  I remember right after 9/11 how ordinary people were detained for weeks without access to legal counsel, all in the name of preventing terrorism threats.

This reinforces one of my biggest fears- that people who criticize the government will be targeted.  Every time I’m interviewed  I always talk about how we American cartoonists never have to face the types of threats other cartoonists around the world do because we have the First Amendment to protect us.  This is the first time I truly feel the situation has changed.

Here’s Glenn’s response and Andrew Sullivan’s piece challenging PM Cameron.  Be sure to read the last line; the unfortunate reality is that it’s a question which needs to be asked.121201ScarletLetter

Bradley Manning verdict today

Posted on July 30, 2013 by - free speech, human rights, politics, society

Today a military judge will rule on the Bradley Manning Wikileaks case.  If Private Manning is convicted on the “aiding the enemy” charge, he could face life without the chance of parole in a military prison.  Regardless if you feel Manning is guilty or innocent, this could have a serious impact on investigative journalism and how much we know about what our government is doing.  It’s a big deal.HolderLetterPutin

Helen Thomas 1920 -2013

Posted on July 21, 2013 by - free speech, human rights, politics, womens issues

Journalist Helen Thomas died yesterday at the age of  92.  A tenacious and outspoken trailblazer for many young female reporters, Thomas covered the White House for over fifty years.  Her career unfortunately ended in controversy but I will forever remember and thank her for this exchange with then White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan.  If only all journalists approached their jobs like Helen did. 101906InterroTechniq

Dear Malala: I am writing this letter to explain why we tried to kill you

Posted on July 18, 2013 by - free speech, human rights, politics, society, womens issues

In a bizarre development, a senior member of the Pakistani Taliban has written a letter to Malala Yousafzai explaining why the Taliban tried to murder the then 15 year-old school girl.  The handwritten, rambling, 4-page letter (which jumps around from British colonialism to pointing out that Henry Kissinger is Jewish)  insisted that she was not targeted because of her support for education, but because of her “smearing campaign” against the Taliban. Last Friday Malala delivered a very inspiring speech at the United Nations supporting girls’ education and received a standing ovation. It’s as though the Taliban just realized that they need to launch a PR campaign to fix their misogynistic image.092501Taliban&Women

 

WANTED: hoodie

Posted on July 17, 2013 by - human rights, politics, society

WantedHoodieSMI’ve heard many pundits dismiss the issue of “Stand Your Ground” laws in the discussion of the Trayvon Martin case because it wasn’t part of the defense strategy but I think that’s missing the underlying issue.  When you combine people’s prejudices with guns and the right to use force in self-defense outside of your home, there will be more killings.   Don’t buy it?  Well, think about how people act in their cars when you accidentally cut them off.  Now put a gun, a perceived threat, and no obligation to retreat first all together.