In October 2008 I slightly modified a cartoon depicting the sacred O reassembling the Constitution. Waves of Optimism were washing across the USA. I was amazed at how widespread and comprehensive the delusion was… amazed, disgusted and quite frankly, nervous for our liberties. I’m not bragging about my crystal ball, but complaining that so few see the obvious.
Regardless, the future was there to see. I saw it. With my crude drawing skills I then drew a rare-for-me political cartoon. It got less than rave reviews from friends and family. You can see why they should have panned it. However, they weren’t being art critics, they were complaining about my politics and, of course vehemently refuting my vision of the future.
Again, I’m not overly proud that I saw the obvious. I am fervently wishing more could and would. I continue doing my best to be one among many social and political optometrists.
In its original design, the Constitution created three separate and distinct branches of government that, along with an independent and unfettered free press served to check and balance each other. That is obviously ancient history. Those who tell the president what to do are also in charge of the rest of the federal government AND the semi-monopoly of major media. While my sketch shows the great O doing the deed, he is just another actor in the great theater we get to watch.
Of course my low art won’t be around to offend anyone in the brave new world after the pending “online piracy” federal Internet censorship bill becomes law later this month. Perhaps I will join the disappeared around the same time. My crystal ball is showing a lot of unexplained absences coming soon to a theater near you.
