A cartooning friend of mine, Marshall Ramsey, posted on Facebook today that one thing about this pandemic is that it’s showing our true colors.
Another cartooning friend, whom I won’t name, showed his true colors by posting a meme stating, “You are being conditioned to think that people who stand up for their freedoms are selfish, extreme, irresponsible, hateful, irrational, and lawless.” The only thing about this “friend” is that he’s been showing his true colors for years. He is selfish, extreme, irresponsible, irrational, and most of all, hateful. But most racist gun nuts tend to be that way.
You are NOT being brave by going out into the streets to protest. You are NOT standing up for your “freedoms” because nobody is trying to take away your “freedoms.” The only people who try to take away other people’s freedom is you. White conservatives, especially middle-age male white conservatives, believe they are the most persecuted people in the world. They also believe that anyone who complains that isn’t them are “snowflakes.”
They think you’re a snowflake if you want to control your own body. They think you’re a snowflake if you want equal justice for all. They think you’re a snowflake if you say “black lives matter.” They think you’re a snowflake if you don’t want babies thrown in jail. Then, they cry that the Super Bowl halftime show offended them.
I’ve also heard the term “sheeple” tossed at those who are staying home and believe it’s too soon to reopen the country. This was gone over months ago, but it bears repeating.
We are not just staying home for ourselves. We’re not staying home out of fear. We’re staying home to protect others. We’re staying home to save our nation. We’re staying home and making personal sacrifices for our nation. We’re staying home to protect the people we love. We’re staying home to protect people we don’t even know. We’re even staying home to protect all you stupid, racist, hateful protesting assholes.
When you wear a mask, you’re wearing it not so much for yourself, but more so for others.
When you’re storming the state capitol building, armed to your three teeth, not wearing a mask while screaming in the face of a police officer, you’re endangering other people. You’re threatening your country.
And now Donald Trump is calling us “warriors.” Well, Warriors, now is not the time to come out and play (like what I did there, geeks?). Donald Trump is using the term “warriors” to goad us into going back to work, school, shopping centers, and Trump rallies. He has established to himself and his base that there are a number of acceptable deaths to reopen the nation, bring back the economy, and save his reelection. That’s all it’s about for Donald Trump and his…sheeple. The only thing he hasn’t established is the number of deaths that’s acceptable. If you’re one of his sheeple, what’s your number? Who in your life are you willing to lose to give a racist narcissist four more years in the White House?
Speaking of the White House, where Donald Trump lives and from where he’s issuing the message to go back to work because it’s safe now: It’s not safe in the White House. He wants you to go back to back to the Cheesecake Factory while his office is becoming more contagious than a meat-packing plant.
To sum up, if you’re a Trump supporter screaming about reopening the nation, you are being selfish and hateful. And one more thing if you’re one of these people…
…say hi to Grandpa.
Creative note: Some cartoonists complain about cliches while other cartoonists base their entire careers on them. While sinking ships, mazes, and crashing Hindenburgs are thought to be the most overused cliches in the business, they’re not. The most overused cliche are cliffs. Things, people, lemmings, whatever going over cliffs is the biggest cliche in the political cartooning business. This also includes waterfalls. It’s so big that if you pay attention, you can’t go a week without seeing a cartoon featuring a cliff. Usually, conservative cartoonists are the biggest users of cliches, but every cartoonist draws cliffs. It’s kinda lazy.
Well, today I was a little lazy. I also admit I’m one of the biggest advocates for NOT drawing them. But, sometimes you break your own rules. My only defense is I last drew one in 2013, but I could be wrong. Now, I’ll try to go another seven years without drawing one.
So, it’s kind of a special day in that you’re getting two cartoons (the CNN cartoon already posted on social media) and me drawing a cliche.
But, all and any help is greatly appreciated and it helps keep me going. Think of me like a street performing busking out tunes on a corner (I won’t play “Wonderwall.” I promise). If you like the tune, or in this case, toon, throw a buck into the tip jar. It’ll help me play another song, draw another toon, write another blog, make another video, and post another snarky post on social media. It’ll help keep me alive. You can also order a signed print for $40. And if you don’t like the PayPal option, you can snail mail it to my P.O. Box.
You can purchase a signed print of this cartoon.
New Book: Tales From the Trumpster Fire
Watch me draw.
CLAYTOONZ 
Hey, Clay, what’s the difference between a cliff and jumping out a skyscraper window?
Meanwhile, the anti-isolatonists believe they are safe from the corona virus, that it cannot harm them cuz it’s all a political hoax. Or a Chinese plot. Or the Italian mafia? But not their god, no way, NEVER! Yet they tell us he created everything, large and small. So he must have had a purpose in creating a deadly virus to attack his faithful worshippers. Why would he do that? The return of Sodom and Gammorah? His worshippers are lying sinners who need to be reminded that he is more powerful than their guns? Whatever!
Sorry for the little rant, I got carried away. All I wanted to say was stupid is as stupid does. Seems they want to catch the virus, so they can spread it to their enemies. How stupid is that?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right with you here, up to a point; The point that if I wear a mask, you don’t know why I’m wearing the mask. I might be off to rob a bank? Or I might be ill advised that the mask will protect me.
Where I live, I notice that the poor wear masks more than the rich, I think this is because the poor find it harder to isolate, they are more afraid, and have good reason to be, butperhaps also they care moreabout others? I don’t know, and my head hurts and my space bar doesn’t work.
S.
LikeLiked by 1 person
P.s.
I’m glad you included the gulls.
I had a revelation of curlew song recently, if your not lucky enough to know the sound, google curlew call, and enjoy the evening.
LikeLiked by 2 people
“Well, today I was a little lazy. I also admit I’m one of the biggest advocates for NOT drawing them. But, sometimes you break your own rules. My only defense is I last drew one in 2013, but I could be wrong. Now, I’ll try to go another seven years without drawing one.”
If I could draw, I would draw a cartoon of Clay going over a cliff while drawing a cartoon featuring a cliff.
LikeLike
Great post, Clay. I would enjoy hearing about the most used clichés in cartooning. As you mentioned the other day, the Grim Reaper is used a lot. I would guess that the recently dead celebrity arriving at the Pearly Gates is one of the more overused clichés.
Which political cartoonists have inspired you?
LikeLike
I am sending this to all my dumb ass trump supporting relatives.
LikeLike