1989 Newsweek cover
Category: free speech
Humor’s Edge opening -2004
My exhibition at the Library of Congress opened ten years ago today.
You won’t find a more dedicated group who understand and value editorial cartoons than the people in the Prints and Photographs division at the Library of Congress. They’re incredibly knowledgeable about the art form and its role in American history and are devoted to preserving and protecting the original art. To have the Library of Congress interested in adding my work to their collection was an amazing honor and an experience I’ll forever treasure.
Jeremy Adamson, Chief of Prints and Photographs
Harry Katz and Martha Kennedy, Exhibition Co-Curators
Sara Duke, Assistant Curator
Humor’s Edge flyer
Frontline: United States of Secrets
If you’re not completely appalled by the actions of the Bush administration (& inaction by Obama) after watching the part 1 of Frontline’s United States of Secrets, you’re comatose. The hubris of people like former NSA director Michael Hayden and Vice President Cheney’s former legal counsel David Addington is jaw-dropping and the treatment of longtime NSA employees turned whistleblowers absolutely chilling.
Time for an atheist justice on the Supreme Court
I’ve mentioned this here before that I’m a firm believer in the Separation of Church and State. Not because of my religious beliefs or non-beliefs but because I think Separation of Church and State is the best way to ensure that all Americans have the freedom to worship (or not) without intimidation or threats.
I think the Court is missing the point about allowing prayer in government institutions when using the “coercion” argument. The issue isn’t whether or not the actual prayer praises or denigrates a particular faith- it’s whether there should be any prayers at all before a public town council meeting. How about a moment of silence? One could recite the Lord’s Prayer, offer praise to Allah, or just mentally go over your grocery list. I myself would welcome a moment of silence before having to listen to politicians start blabbering.
Supreme Court pushes Church & State closer together
Just a few minutes ago the Supreme Court ruled that the town of Greece didn’t violate the Constitution by opening their council meetings with a Christian prayer. More on this later but here’s a related cartoon from 2001:
World Press Freedom Day 2014
Today is World Press Freedom Day. When I do cartoons about the media I tend to concentrate on the American one and it’s usually to criticize (see previous post). However, there are many journalists throughout the world who are willing to put their lives in danger on a regular basis because they believe in what they do. A free press is indispensable for a free society; it must be protected.
The White House Correspondents Dinner
The annual inappropriate schmoozefest, also known as the White House Correspondents dinner takes place this Saturday. The whole idea of journalists yucking it up with politicians at fancy Washington events only confirms what most Americans think- that the Media is elitist and not interested in holding government leaders accountable. Rem Rieder from the American Journalism Review has criticized this event for years; here’s his piece from 2012.
Here’s a link to Stephen Colbert’s 2006 speech which ruffled the Washington Media’s feathers.
LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling
The owner of the LA Clippers is banned for life from the NBA and fined $2.6 million after audiotape of several racist comments he made during a conversation with his girlfriend is released.
From the looks of this guy he must be an exceptional speaker since his First Amendment right of $peech attracts such young and beautiful women.
Can you hear me now?
The Supreme Court hears 2 arguments today about whether the police can search the cell phones of suspects they arrest before obtaining an search warrant. Since most people today own smartphones which contain all sorts of private information, what the justices eventually decide will impact us all. My first question is, how many justices actually use cell phones?
Russian cartoonist Victor Bogorad
While I was at the conference in Caen I met the Russian cartoonist Victor Bogorad. Although I speak no Russian and Victor no English, we did discover that both of us had a limited ability to speak in German so we were able to communicate a little. One of the best things about being among cartoonists though, is that we really don’t need words. Someone will inevitably pick up a pen and start to draw- as Victor did continuously. I was lucky enough to be the recipient of several of Victor’s charming wordless sketches:
Day 3- Memorial de Caen cartoon conference
Panel: “Cartooning in war time”
Cartoonists from Palestine, Iran, Algeria, Morocco, and Russia discuss working in countries under repressive governments and during wartime.
Mohammad Sabaaneh, Palestine
“The most hard thing a cartoonist faces in the Arab world… is the audience”
Javad Alizadeh, Iran
“If I think about danger, I would never draw a cartoon”
Victor Bogorad, Russia
“Most magazines and newspapers prefer not to deal with the subject” (Putin and Ukraine)
Khalid Gueddar, Morocco
“Sex, Religion, Royal family” (taboos in Morocco)
Djamel Lounis, Algeria
“No satirical reviews in Algeria anymore (due to) repressive laws concerning journalists”
Day 2- Memorial de Caen cartoon conference
The cartoonists were taken on a tour of the museum and D-Day landings on Thursday. The museum is divided into sections, beginning with the events leading up to World War II. 
I found the area dealing with Germany in the early 30’s especially interesting because it shows how intolerance and fear enabled Nazism to gain power in Germany.
