Cocaine Princess here.
I like to read the comics in the newspaper every morning while enjoying a bowl of cold cereal or a can of Slim Fast. I usually try to steer clear of all the negative and depressing pieces of news so I go straight to the Lifestyle & Entertainment section and then head on over to the comics.
My favorite is PEANUTS. I love the entire Peanuts Gang in particular Snoopy, who sits on top of his posh dog house at his typewriter clacking away at the keys in the wee hours of the night, "It was a dark and stormy night..." and his yellow hippie best friend Woodstock is never far behind.
On Tuesday the editorial section of the paper was filled with readers fuming about the comic strip "Family Circus" stating it was "offensive, sexist, old fashioned," to even someone writing, "shame on Bill Keane."
This was the second time readers complained about a Family Circus cartoon (The first being on June 16th 2009).
The day old newspaper was lying in the recycling box. I went to retrieve it and re-read the cartoon to see what the fuss was all about.
Personally I wasn’t offended by it probably because I didn't read too much into it but apparently some others were. Now I mind you the ones who were offended are the same group who agreed with the school board banning the book “The Golden Compass” in 2008.
Let's rewind back to a cold day in February '08. Hmm, I was only 5 months into blogging.........
[2/1/08]
Controversy erupted when the Catholic School Board decided to ban The Golden Compass from their school libraries. Students were not even permitted to bring the book to school.
I decided to write a letter to the editor stating it was in my opinion wrong to ban the book. After my letter was published a fury of letters were unleashed against me including one from the always lovable Poodle Lady.
I am boldly against any form of censorship. I realize morals and values vary from family to family but I don't believe it's right or fair to allow someone else to decide for you what is and what isn’t offensive.
Getting back to the cartoon, I understand the readers point of view but I hardly think it's anything to get worked up over. Some readers even went as far as to say the paper should stop publishing the Family Circus strip. To quote Charlie Brown:
Good Grief indeed! Ban the adorable and popular Family Circus?! Here's some advice, if you don't like it, don't read it. Why spoil it for the rest of us?Below are both cartoons. So I ask you my lovely ones, do you find either one of these offensive, sexist or old fashioned? Should Bill Keane bury his head in the sand out of shame?
And here is the other:
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My loyal and dear readers it's finally Friday!
There is a commercial that airs up here where the voice over says, "We have two seasons, winter and July."
Laugh if you must but he ain't kidding. The weatherman promises this weekend to be hot and sunny so I'll be absorbing and seizing the outdoors as much as I can.
Whatever your plans are have a stellar weekend.-x
XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess
