Editorial cartoonists: Perry, Dewhurst attacks on Sac Bee’s Ohman, “unAmerican.” [View all]
Then, on Sunday, at the Daily Cartoonist , the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists released a statement defending Ohman and suggesting that Perrys and Dewhursts statements were inappropriate and misplaced.
It reads: The AAEC firmly stands behind Jack Ohman and his powerful cartoon on the tragedy in West, Texas. The Ohman cartoon represents the finest traditions of both American political cartooning and our freedom of the press. On the other hand the Texas governors response demanding a retraction and an apology, represents the worst impulses of those who have no respect for our most basic and fundamental right to free speech. Governor Perry attacking the cartoonist is the kind of reaction wed expect from a leader in North Korea, not one from Texas.
The attempt to intimidate a journalist for being critical of the government, particularly the call on the part of the Texas Lt. Governor to have him lose his job, is what should be condemned. This sort of intimidation of journalists is, at its root, just plain un-American.
More at
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/firstreading/entries/2013/04/29/cartoon.html/ .