The Danger Of Political Cartoons

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• Ceit

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Ok, so I said "danger", and the first thing you might think of is misinformation or even fake news, but it's not really that. I'm referring to the perceived danger felt by authority, and the real danger a cartoonist who offends authority might be in. We might remember some unpleasantness a few years ago when a certain religious figure was put on paper. We might not be aware of government silencing of cartoonists, particularly in Asia. Most American cartoonists have only had to worry about losing their jobs, e.g. Ann Telnaes, although these days they probably receive death threats on the regular. I have quite a few articles to share this time, so make some time in your schedule: https://www.toonsmag.com/the-role-of-editorial-cartoons-in-shaping-history/ https://www.toonsmag.com/how-editorial-cartoons-have-evolved-over-time/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-s-so-funny/201712/political-humor-gone-wrong https://thewire.in/world/when-cartoonists-are-censored-we-all-need-to-be-concerned https://blog.cartoonmovement.com/2023/10/the-steve-bell-case-political-cartoons-versus-censorship-and-propaganda-a-lost-battle-.html https://thediplomat.com/2021/08/red-lines-political-cartoons-and-the-struggle-against-censorship/ And the story that reminded me of this whole messy topic: https://san.com/cc/turkey-arrests-cartoonist-over-alleged-depiction-of-muhammad-amid-protests/ There are many angles to look at: we have the censorship angle, of course; there's a respect and propriety angle; humor and its strengths and weaknesses; satire and caricature. How far should comedy be allowed to go? This applies not only to editorial cartoons, but stand-up, sitcoms, parodies, etc. We all know that guy who says something offensive and tries to get away with it by claiming it's just a "joke". There's no obligation to be tickled by everything, but are there topics that are simply not in the realm of acceptable jokes? Are there figures that are simply to sacred or revered for a takedown? What punishments, if any, are acceptable for cartoonists that break any of these rules (assuming we've established rules)?