Tag: free speech

A Free Press

On this Fourth of July I’m posting again the keynote speech I gave in Ottawa at the Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom luncheon last May.

Nowadays I hear many comments like “You must be having a great time with all this material” or “Cartoonists must be in heaven with the Trump presidency”.  The feelings I have though are not ones of fun or excitement.  I only feel a sense of urgency and concern for my country and the ideals I value.

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Social media and the Cruz cartoon controversy

I had always planned to write about the controversy over my Cruz cartoon last year but wanted to wait for a while to really think about the role social media played in it.  I hoped the Columbia Journalism Review would consider publishing my piece and was so pleased when then CJR editor Liz Spayd agreed to take it on.  Thank you also to current CJR editor Vanessa Gezari and Maralee Schwartz for their expertise and guidance; they were a pleasure to work with.

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Talking about free speech at the Library of Congress

Had a great turnout for our presentation at the Library of Congress on Thursday. I’ve decided my favorite fellow panelist is cartoonist Signe Wilkinson; an excellent presenter who manages to get the audience laughing even while delivering a really solid editorial punch.  Now if I can just keep her alive (she’s a serial jay-walker. Had to grab her from oncoming traffic a couple of times during her Washington visit).  photoCrowe

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Signe Wilkinson, me, and moderator Martha Kennedy

photos courtesy of Katharine Blood