There have been over 700 entries into the Iranian Holocaust cartoon contest – six of the entrants are Americans (and no, Ann Coulter, Ted Rall isn’t one of them).
One of the American cartoonists is Mike Flugennock.
Flugennock, of Washington, D.C., insisted his entry is not anti-Semitic but legitimate political criticism – because it criticizes not the Jewish people or their religion but Israeli policy toward the Palestinians.
“It specifically addresses policies of the Israeli state with regard to its behavior in Palestine, and their similarities to the strategies employed by the Nazi regime in Warsaw and elsewhere,” he said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Flugennock said he saw the contest as a chance to tell the world “that there is ‘another America’ that sees through the policies of the Israeli state and isn’t afraid of reactionaries’ trying to tar them with the epithet ‘anti-Semite.’ ”
The other five cartoonists are:
Aaron Heineman
Robin Moore
John Bryant
David Baldinger
Peter Lifton
I found a couple of websites that I suspect belong to the individuals above, but since I couldn’t validate it, I’ve decided not to create the links. It should be noted that with this story and all other stories on the Daily Cartoonist that a link or mention of a cartoonist, or cartoon related event does not imply endorsement or sympathy to that individual/story/activities.
I am, in fact, the David Baldinger who is listed as an entrant into the Iranian cartoon contest. Unfortunately, while I am sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinian people and am appalled at their treatment by Israel, I didn’t actually send cartoons specifically for the contest or even address the subject of the contest. I made my concerns known to the administrators of the contest and they assured me that it was not their intention to ridicule the Holocaust. I think it is interesting that the US media has taken the position that anyone who draws anything on this subject is anti-Semitic or hates the Jewish people. That just isn’t so.
It has been implied that I somehow am fraternizing with the enemy by having friends in Iran. The last time I checked, Iran is not the enemy. Politicians and government figures may like battling each other for position and power but the rest of us are just trying to survive. That goes for all people. Knowing individuals in a particular country doesn’t imply full agreement with their government. Americans need to grow up and realize that things are not neatly categorized in black and white.
I am, in fact, the David Baldinger who is listed as an entrant into the Iranian cartoon contest. Unfortunately, while I am sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinian people and am appalled at their treatment by Israel, I didn’t actually send cartoons specifically for the contest or even address the subject of the contest. I made my concerns known to the administrators of the contest and they assured me that it was not their intention to ridicule the Holocaust. I think it is interesting that the US media has taken the position that anyone who draws anything on this subject is anti-Semitic or hates the Jewish people. That just isn’t so.
It has been implied that I somehow am fraternizing with the enemy by having friends in Iran. The last time I checked, Iran is not the enemy. Politicians and government figures may like battling each other for position and power but the rest of us are just trying to survive. That goes for all people. Knowing individuals in a particular country doesn’t imply full agreement with their government. Americans need to grow up and realize that things are not neatly categorized in black and white.
Americans need to grow up? Americans?? It was Muslims all over the globe who went nuts over the Danish cartoons demanding death to everyone involved and even people who weren’t involved. Protests, death threats, ect.I quite clearly recall American news networks refusing to even show the cartoons and yet, folks all over the world were demanding death to us. American’s were lumped into it even though we didn’d do it.For what? The same thing Muslims do themselves. They drew Mohammad’s face. That’s it. Can you say “hypocrite”?
This a a game like little kids play. Tit for tat. KIDS do this.’You did it and we threatened your lives so now I’m going to and you better not say anything’. How many protests do you see demanding death over the Iranian cartoons? Who needs to grow up?? Not Americans.
You have been lumped in the same way the rest of America was.Where were you when everone was blamed over the Danish cartoons? YOU put yourself in that position. YOU and YOU alone. I do believe that you may have been lied to, but that’s YOUR problem, not mine. You have been lumped like the rest of us were. Maybe YOU need to grow up.
Americans need to grow up? Americans?? It was Muslims all over the globe who went nuts over the Danish cartoons demanding death to everyone involved and even people who weren’t involved. Protests, death threats, ect.I quite clearly recall American news networks refusing to even show the cartoons and yet, folks all over the world were demanding death to us. American’s were lumped into it even though we didn’d do it.For what? The same thing Muslims do themselves. They drew Mohammad’s face. That’s it. Can you say “hypocrite”?
This a a game like little kids play. Tit for tat. KIDS do this.’You did it and we threatened your lives so now I’m going to and you better not say anything’. How many protests do you see demanding death over the Iranian cartoons? Who needs to grow up?? Not Americans.
You have been lumped in the same way the rest of America was.Where were you when everone was blamed over the Danish cartoons? YOU put yourself in that position. YOU and YOU alone. I do believe that you may have been lied to, but that’s YOUR problem, not mine. You have been lumped like the rest of us were. Maybe YOU need to grow up.
To Mr. William Riley. I’ve deleted your post because of the profanity. Please feel free to resubmit your comment, but please keep it clean.
Thanks,
Alan
Editor
To Mr. William Riley. I’ve deleted your post because of the profanity. Please feel free to resubmit your comment, but please keep it clean.
Thanks,
Alan
Editor