I am turning over today’s column to a sampling of comments from readers who reacted to last Sunday’s controversial B.C. comic strip.
The strip showed a menorah gradually being replaced by a crucifix. Cartoonist Johnny Hart said in a statement that he intended to pay tribute to both Christians and Jews.
Since the comics had already been printed, the Times-Union published a news story about the issue on April 14 that included a statement from Publisher Carl Cannon that he was “very sorry” for any offense.
Most of the comments came from readers of the Jewish faith who were offended, though some Christian readers objected, too. Some readers supported the strip.
Here are portions of reader comments. Thanks to the 65 readers who called and e-mailed.
- “The real concern in the Jewish community is that this is a cartoon that targets a younger audience with an ideology of fundamental Christianity that unabashedly promotes itself as the only ‘true’ religion. I would like to see two things happen as a result of this incident. One, a strong editorial message from your publisher denouncing the B.C. cartoon and pledging to review all of its cartoons in advance of publication to remove all strips that threaten to offend any of the diverse groups represented in the T-U readership. Secondly, to remove the B.C. cartoon strip from your comic section.” — David Schmerer, Men’s Club president, Religious Committee chairman, Jacksonville Jewish Center.
My comment: The syndicate that handles the B.C. strip has been asked to notify the Times-Union before other controversial strips are presented.
- “I sent an e-mail in support of the strip this morning before attending church service. As I sat and looked at the empty cross, I realized that I would be offended if a religion transformed the cross into something other than what it originally meant to depict. So I believe the cartoon was unintentionally off-base.” — Donna Gartland.
- “Anyone who gets upset about the B.C. comic obviously has too much free time on their hands. It is a disgrace that we can’t have more comics like B.C. It is so wholesomely refreshing.” — Dorothy Tygart.
- “His cartoon is a sorry example of what happens when biblical literalism is applied to the real world. Given the tragic history of what Christians have done to Jews over the course of 20 centuries because of the kind of attitude expressed by Hart’s cartoon, we Christians need to apologize to our Jewish neighbors and begin to articulate a more Christian way of viewing Judaism.” — the Rev. James M. Webb, retired American Baptist minister, formerly on the Governing Board of the National Council of Churches.
- “I landed with the first wave on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and was wounded five times serving my nation. I did not appreciate this anti-Semitic cartoon intimating my Hebrew religion was superseded by Christianity.” — Harold Baumgarten.
- “Consider this: Had the panels run in reverse, starting with a cross, building on it until it became a menorah with all candles blazing, with appropriate verses from the Five Books of Moses, ending with ‘The Lord is One,’ clearly offensive to the Christian community, would the T-U have published it? I doubt it.” — Edward Tannen.
My suggestion: In a 1997 interview with Plain Truth magazine, cartoonist Johnny Hart agreed that B.C. is like a ministry to him, almost like Sunday school. In that case, the Religion page would be a more appropriate place for it.
