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Offensive cartoon in (you guessed it) the "Toronto Star"

Hunteroffortune said:
No, it's not just a political cartoon, it's a statement about soldiers in the cities, with guns, willing to suppress citizens. It's hard core socialism/communism. It's not funny, it's highly offensive to not just the military, but all Canadians.

Ye sit is just a cartoon and yes it is funny, as both a member of the military AND a Canadian I got a chuckle out of it...lighten up Francis.
 
Well....it's lame, and not all that funny, but I don't really see where it's an attack on the CF or really even much of an attack on Hillier. I'm usually pretty quick to write in to a paper or media outlet if I think we're being slagged, but I don't get that feeling with this cartoon.  I'm in agreement with other posters here: it's just a cartoon, albeit not a very good one.  The artist has the freedom to make lame, unfunny cartoons as often as he likes. I would hate for us to be seen as a humourless bunch of whiners who run screaming to the media every time something is published that isn't boundless praise for us. Doesn't that sort of group sound familiar?

If it's worth fighting, fight. If it isn't, let it go.

Cheers
 
Roy Harding said:
I think too many people are too sensitive. 

Roy, I think you summed it up perfectly with this one line!
 
Let it go.  It's not insulting - it would have to be believable to be an insult - and it doesn't really tickle the funnybone - it's just a political statement of the sort one typically sees in university student-run papers when the kids try their hand.
 
look closely . . those choppers look like 101's and those are Airborne soldiers.

Both of which were canceled by the  Liberals during the Decade of Darkness.

Is the Star trying to whitewash history to make it look like Liberals support the Canadian Forces ??  We know Layton & the NDP "Peace at any Price" despise the military, but is the Start trying to convince Canadians that the Liberals do to ??

On this day, on every day but especially today, thank you to all Veterans and Serving Members.

We owe you so much and despite the pathetic, narrow minded opinion of the Star, Canada honours and respects your service.
 
Gotta say, I think this cartoon IS funny, and its not aimed at the CF, its aimed at Harper. So the cartoonist used the military to get his point across. Big deal.  We live in a democracy, and the media can print whatever it wants to (with some exceptions). Thats the way it should be. I would  say the same thing if the Star (or any other paper) printed the infamous "Mohamed as a suicide bomber" cartoons. I am sure that plenty of people would be offended by those cartoons, but newspapers aren't in the business of making people feel better now are they?
 
Much ado about nothing as far as I am concerned.  It's just a cartoon and there is really nothing offensive about it.
 
Offensive?  Boo hoo........  wait till a hippy spits in your face while you're in uniform down town Edmonton.    This is nothing and should be taken with a grain of salt.
 
Hunteroffortune said:
It's hard core socialism/communism.


I prefere "Fascism/Fascist" term.. right wing seems more workable these days. Now who wants to go to the beer hall?  ;)
 
In response the poem Tommy written by Rudyard Kipling over a century ago seems everso appropriate:

I went into a public- 'ouse to get a pint o' beer,

The publican 'e up an sez, "We serve no red-coats here."

The girls behind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,

I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy go away";

But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play-

The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,

O it's "Thank you Mr Atkins," when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,

They gave a drunk civilian roo, but 'adn't none for me;

They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,

But when it comes to fighting', Lord! They'll shove me in the stalls!

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy wait outside";

But it's "Special train for Atkins," when the trooper's on the tide-

The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,

O it's "Special train for Atkins," when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep

Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;

An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit

Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy 'ow's yer soul?"

But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll-

The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,

O it's " Thin red line of 'eroes," when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,

But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;

An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,

Why single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy fall be'ind,"

But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind-

There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,

O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:

We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.

Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face

The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck 'im out, the brute!"

But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;

An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;

An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!


       
 
Offensive?  Boo hoo........  wait till a hippy spits in your face while you're in uniform down town Edmonton.

Did that happen to  you? If so, thats definitely not very conducive to a productive dialog between civilians and military personnel to say the least. I have never seen anything that bad.

I go to Trent University, and in the school paper there was an article about Remembrance Day, and how it promotes "the othering" of people, and creates and "us vs them" atmosphere. Well war IS us vs them. I can understand objections to the Afghanistan mission, and even critiques of the army as an institution, but to question Remembrance Day? We have all the other days of the year to address all the injustice in the world. I suppose I could identify myself with the "left" if labels must be used, but it seems the "left" (at least on my campus) are so open minded that their brains are falling out of their heads.
 
All I hafto say to the writer is..

"Writer's strike dragging you down too, eh?"
 
Hunteroffortune said:
It's hard core socialism/communism. It's not funny, it's highly offensive to not just the military, but all Canadians.

This statement is even funnier than the cartoon was. I think that maybe, just maybe some people are reading a little too much into this. As a member of the military (for the last 16 years or more) I do not find it offensive in the very least but that is just my opinion. Cheers.
 
Two letters the Star did publish Nov. 12:

Cartoon's implication defies all credibility
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/275558

I regret to inform you that the impending invasion of Toronto has been called off because Canada's soldiers are busy fighting and dying in Afghanistan to defend the freedoms that you and your cartoonist have decided to disrespect.

The implication that Prime Minister Stephen Harper would order the use of military force against a Canadian city, or that the Chief of the Defence Staff or members of the Canadian Forces would follow such an order, is disgusting.

Worse was your decision to publish this cartoon on the eve of Remembrance Day, the day upon which we commemorate the deaths in battle of more than 100,000 Canadians who died to secure the freedoms that your newspaper has elected to abuse.

Donald Neill, Ottawa

With freedom comes responsibility
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/275557

Your editorial "cartoon" showing Prime Minister Stephen Harper insisting that Toronto be bombed, and Gen. Rick Hillier obeying this command, is pure slander. It is not a political critique. Furthermore, it slanders all of the men and women who died in the world wars. These people gave you freedom and your response is to spit on this freedom.

Edwina Taborsky, Toronto

Mark
Ottawa
 
I dont get it.
To me it is saying squash the insurgents in T.O.
To ME it is pointing out home grown/imported terrorist in ou major centers.
 
Gramps said:
This statement is even funnier than the cartoon was. I think that maybe, just maybe some people are reading a little too much into this. As a member of the military (for the last 16 years or more) I do not find it offensive in the very least but that is just my opinion. Cheers.

I second that, some of the comments are funnier than the original cartoon.  It uses a miliary theme, but it reads more like a poke at the inter-city spat between Toronto and Ottawa.  Maybe worth a few guffaws in Ontario, but very small ha-ha's elsewhere...
 
Greymatters: I guess some of us civvies are just too sensatuve  ;D!  Now if only the lefties could read the thread to see the level heads (and sense of humour) in the CF :salute:.

Mark
Ottawa
 
I suppose it's better than the mockery we suffered when Mel called us in to shovel snow.  :mad:
 
IN HOC SIGNO said:
I suppose it's better than the mockery we suffered when Mel called us in to shovel snow.  :mad: 

That was and always will be... priceless.  Members here are still making references to that...
 
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