Guns, Economy, Political Discourse Cartoons

Check out what cartoonists had to say this week about our economy and guns in America.

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From Denny: What a week! Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has improved dramatically over the past two weeks since she was shot at a public meeting. Giffords still has a breathing tube down her throat so she is not able to speak yet. She speaks with her hands, her facial expressions, her eyes: her intent.



She also has a piece of skull bone flap missing that will be reintroduced later after the doctors are sure her brain is no longer swelling even a little bit. There is always the risk of infection for this kind of surgery so keep praying for her. Your prayers by the thousands are a testament as to her unusual and astounding recovery.



Rep. Giffords is out of critical care and been moved to Houston, Texas for the next phase of her rehabilitation. She is doing remarkably well, again surprising her doctors. With assistance she is now up on her feet briefly (good to keep the blood clots at bay). She will be relearning basic physical tasks we all take for granted every day we wake up in the morning. If anyone has the grit and determination to succeed it's this woman.



Meanwhile, other struggles go on in the world like in Tunisia where the grassroots people finally rid themselves of a corrupt government. Anyone feel like importing a horde of Tunisians to help us rid ourselves of Washington lobbyists? Works for me.



The struggle to survive goes on in Haiti as well. It is shameful how our own American Red Cross took millions of dollars and withheld over 75 percent from the Haitians. Instead the Red Cross is continuing its wrong practice like it did in the 911 emergency and Hurricane Katrina: keeping the majority of the monies for later emergencies rather than spending it on the cause for which it was donated.







guns in America:

Political Discourse American Style: Cartoons - 17 Jan 2011

Check out the gun cartoons and how cartoonists view political discourse in America.

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords





From Denny:  At the moment, most politicians seem to have gotten the message that the public is not happy with the toxic political atmosphere.  Now will someone please inform the media to also tone it down?



There are calls to gun reform in America and it's about time.  How comforting is it to know that your neighbor owns 20 assault weapons and high capacity gun clips among other "goodies"?  Hunters don't require assault weapons they just need a rifle.  Taking an assault weapon to a deer hunt is like taking dynamite to a fishing party.



Why does America continue to allow Big Business and the National Rifle Association to own our politicians, compromising our everyday safety?  The NRA and Big Business are in The Business of Selling Fear in order to make billions of dollars annually, talk about depraved indifference.  The NRA and Big Business have repeatedly fought any kind of gun reform, especially in the area of selling to the mentally ill.  There should be psychological profile tests people have to take before being allowed to own guns - and periodic retesting every year or so.



There should be a national limit as to how many guns a person can own or sell.  As it is there is a brisk trade of Americans buying guns and reselling them to the million man army of drug cartels in Mexico.  Those guns are used to kill thousands of innocent Mexican citizens, police and military opposing the drug cartels.  Now those same guns are coming back over our border states and killing our police and citizens.  When will it end?  When will anyone stir up the political will and courage to address this insanity?







American style of toxic political discourse that has been going on for 30 years now, reaching a crescendo when Rep. Giffords was shot in the head at a public open-air political meeting with her constituents:

37 Guns Issue and Tucson Shooting Cartoons

Check out how cartoonists drew their opinions about the Tucson tragedy that occurred only last weekend.

From Denny: The Tucson tragedy is a lot to process. So much violence happened at once. How anyone in the media can say that toxic political discourse for the past 30 years in America had nothing to do with helping to unhinge a mentally unstable young man are foolish to say so. This young man has never known civil political discourse in his life time. Every day conservative radio talk show hosts issue threats "calling for those liberals, those Democrats to die" and "put 'em in the cross hairs, yeah, put a bulls eye target on their faces." At some point these vociferous political profiteers - who are nothing but toxic entertainment - must accept their roles and responsibility here.



The good things that have come out of this tragedy are quite something to behold. Courage was displayed by those under fire. Forgiveness was given to the parents by the wounded. The life of a child was held up to us to raise our sights to do as well with our lives. Politicians held public meetings with their constituents to honor fallen Rep. Giffords still in the hospital, now upgraded from critical condition to serious. The town of Tucson is pulling together to mourn and remember and be one voice of choosing to now argue their politics in a civil manner while disagreeing. A lot of good has come out of all this evil for one reason: Because so very many people chose to rise above this wrong and chose to honor and respect one another.



The President has been criticized by the conservatives for taking advantage of this situation. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I have no qualms about criticizing this White House when they require it but in this situation the critics are wrong. President Obama struck the right tone with his speech and he and the First Lady did right by visiting the wounded in the hospital right before the memorial service. Obama is correct about dealing with toxic political discourse and it's high time the country listen to his plea for America to do better.







Tucson shooting: