Inkanta
Group: Admins
Posts: 1453
Joined: Feb. 2000 |
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Posted: Feb. 28 2009, 09:55 |
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Dear Ian,
Korgscrew and I have discussed your response to the cartoon. He may post his very well articulated thoughts on this, as well, when he has a moment.
One point-- “a cross to bear” is a common expression and that is most likely what Marko was illustrating. Thousands of men, women, and even children literally had their crosses to bear in times past—it was a very common means of execution, particularly during the Roman Empire. The Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, and the Macedonians also employed it. Sometimes straight poles and trees were used, in addition to the perpendicular cross beam. Think of the word, “excruciating” –something incredibly painful-- because it was such a horrifically slow death (though in the case of Rome, soldiers had to stay until the person(s) was (were) dead, so sometimes they hastened death so they could go home). One Palm Sunday, our minister (when I attended a United Church of Christ church way back when) for his sermon delivered a moment-by-moment account of what it would feel like, and what one’s body would experience when crucified. My hands still break out in a sweat just thinking about it. It is said that Emperor Constantine I, the first Christian Roman emperor, abolished the practice there because of Jesus.
We all react differently to works of art. As an earth-based Wiccan type, one of my favorite cartoons anywhere by anyone is the one that Marko did of Mike zooming past a witch on a broom. Considering our history and the Burning Times (getting burned alive for heresy wasn’t much fun,either), the way that we get stereotyped, and sometimes discriminated against even to this very day, maybe I should be offended, but it is my all-time favorite of favorites and I have a glossy printout of it hanging on my refrigerator door. I don’t like “shoulds” very well, anyway. <-:
Ian, you have expressed your concern over the cartoon, your voice has been heard, but removing cartoons under these circumstances would be a dangerous precedent. I am a librarian by profession and this is not unlike a book challenge, when people want libraries to remove books due to content. Once we start removing books from the shelf that someone finds offensive, where would we stop? Items added to the collection generally stay—not unlike cartoons at tubular.net.
Best regards,
Inkanta
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"No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From: Moongarden's "Solaris."
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sheeees, lighten up little vegemites, marko pokes fun at mike all the time, if mike can laugh about it you can too...now all kiss and make up boys, deb 