Comic on an Anti-War Footing

[TMC]

http://www.conservativex.com/cgi-bin...465860;start=0

http://www.mediaresearch.org/BozellC...lumn/2002/col2
0020123.asp

by L. Brent Bozell III
January 23, 2002

Earlier this month, the leftist L.A. Weekly ran a story on black
cartoonist Aaron McGruder's syndicated comic strip, "The Boondocks,"
that detailed the strip's skepticism toward America's war on
terrorism. That's how a leftist weekly would see it, anyhow, but it's
far more than that. It's a hateful screed against America and its president.

"The Boondocks" might seem an unlikely polemic, given that its main
character, a black nine-year-old named Huey Freeman, is nowhere close
to being old enough to vote or even drive. But the militant Huey is
not a typical child, either. The typical child, after all, doesn't
hold up an "Al Sharpton for President!!" sign, as Huey did in a strip
this past autumn.

Many of McGruder's war-themed strips have been satirical (e.g., the
FBI investigates the possibility that the psychic Ms. Cleo had
foreknowledge of the September 11 attacks; apropos of the titles
television networks have given their war coverage, Huey suggests
"America Stops and Thinks About Why Some People Hate Us").

Other strips, however, have been quite literal and ought to be
assessed in the same manner as one would assess an opinion column,
since this is the intent of Mr. McGruder. To read his statements is to
see what a radical he is.

One strip consisted of a letter to Rep. Barbara Lee, the only member
of Congress to oppose the resolution authorizing military force
against terrorists and their allies, commending Lee for her "courage
in [her] lone stance against Bush's warmongering." Only an
America-hater would view the desire to seek justice against the
slaughterers of thousands of your countrymen as "warmongering."

Then there was the Thanksgiving Day installment, in which Huey, at the
dinner table, says his own special version of grace: "In this time of
war against Osama bin Laden and the oppressive Taliban regime, we are
thankful that our leader isn't the spoiled son of a powerful
politician from a wealthy oil family who is supported by religious
fundamentalists, operates through clandestine organizations, has no
respect for the democratic electoral process, bombs innocents, and
uses war to deny people their civil liberties. Amen."

Whoa. Let's take that broadside apart, phrase by phrase.

"The spoiled son of a powerful politician…" After 9/11, not even
hardened liberals subscribe to this tired mantra. Most have been
extraordinarily impressed by the gravitas of this man. Most, that is,
save for the fringe.

"…from a wealthy oil family..." Ah, class warfare. Where would we be
without it? (And shouldn't Bush be praised since he was a bust in the
oil business?) "…supported by religious fundamentalists…" The
American-religious-right-as-equivalent-of-the-Taliban argument has
arrived in the comic pages.

"…operates through clandestine organizations…" If McGruder means
intelligence services, well, so has every president since the launch
of the republic. Or maybe he's alluding to Skull and Bones?

"…has no respect for the democratic electoral process…" Yet another
person who just can't get over Florida.

"…bombs innocents…" So there's no difference between the deliberate
murder of civilians and the unavoidable death of civilians during a
military action -- just like bin Laden's been saying.

"…and uses war to deny people their civil liberties." Ramsey Clark,
call your office.

Before you dismiss "The Boondocks" as obscure – don't. It's in 250
newspapers with a combined circulation of 30 million. Even if only ten
percent of those subscribers read the strip, it still would have a far
larger audience than, say, "The O'Reilly Factor."

The motivation for McGruder's stand on the war may be found in
something he told the Weekly's David Ulin: "I was talking with a
friend of mine just last night, and he put it very succinctly. He
said, ‘We're born into this world with an inheritance. We come in
carrying part of what went on before us, and black people inherit a
war. We inherit a struggle.'…That's what I'm doing. I'm conscious and
aware of an ongoing struggle, and I'm making a definitive choice to be
on one side." Let's be clear: That "one side" is anti-America, no matter who's
leading the attack on America, and no matter how many Americans –
black Americans – he's killed.

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