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Title: Pentagon Joint Chiefs Don't Like Tom Toles Cartoon
Source:
Editor and Publisher
URL Source: http://www.conspiracyplanet.com/cha ... elid=123&contentid=3171&page=2
Published: Jan 5, 2007
Author: Cartoon by Tom Toles
Post Date: 2007-01-05 19:05:36 by A K A Stone
Keywords: None
Views: 218
"Now that the Joint Chiefs have addressed the insidious threat cartoons pose to our troops, perhaps they can move on to less pressing issues like getting them their damn body armor,"Aravosis from AmericaBlog told E&P.
A Tom Toles editorial cartoon published in The Washington Post on Monday and on its Web site has drawn a very rare and very strong protest letter to the editors from all six members of The Joint Chiefs of Staff, E&P learned Wednesday.
The letter was published in the Post on Thursday, along with a separate column by Howard Kurtz in which Toles, and Editorial Page Editor Fred Hiatt, responded. Hiatt said, "While I certainly can understand the strong feelings, I took it to be a cartoon about the state of the Army and not one intended to demean wounded soldiers." He added that he doesn't "censor Tom."
Kurtz also quoted Dave Autry, deputy communications director for Disabled American Veterans, saying he was "certainly not" offended by the cartoon.
The letter, written on Tuesday, charges that the six military leaders "believe you and Mr. Toles have done a disservice to your readers and your paper's reputation by using such a callous depiction of those who have volunteered to defend this nation, and as a result, have suffered traumatic and life-altering wounds. ... As the Joint Chiefs, it is rare that we all put our hand to one letter, but we cannot let this reprehensible cartoon go unanswered."
A Pentagon spokeswoman confirmed the contents of the letter to E&P on Wednesday afternoon. That the newspaper had received such a letter was reported on the popular AmericaBlog site, which is run by John Aravosis, this morning. Download a copy of the letter (PDF)
The spokeswoman said a letter from all six joint chiefs to anyone, let alone a newspaper, is rare, but the cartoon so offended them, they wanted to let their feelings be known. "It was expressing their disappointment with the paper and outrage at using that image to make a political point," said Lt. Col. Diane Battaglia.
Reached by E&P, Tom Toles said, "no comment." But he told Kurtz he did not regret what he drew.
The Toles cartoon shows a soldier, a quadruple amputee, in a hospital, being visited by a Dr. Rumsfeld who is scribbling on a form. Rumsfeld says, "I am listing your condition as battle hardened." At the bottom a smaller figure of the doctor adds, "I'm prescribing that you be stretched thin. We don't define that as torture."
Talking to Kurtz, Toles cited recent remarks by Rumsfeld about "battle-hardened" troops and "what came soon to mind was the catastrophic level of injuries the Army and members of the armed services have sustained . . . I thought my portrayal of it was a fair depiction of the reality of the situation. I certainly never intended it to be in any way a personal attack on, or a derogatory comment on, the service or sacrifice of American soldiers."
As for the Joint Chiefs' letter, he said: "I think it's a little bit unfair in their reading of the cartoon to imply that is what it's about."
The letter, signed by Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Edmund P. Giambastini, Jr., the vice-chairman, and the four other military branch leaders -- and addressed to the Post's managing editor, Philip Bennett -- reveals that they were "extremely disappointed" in the Toles cartoon. "Using the likeness of a service member who has lost his arms and legs in war as the central theme of a cartoon is beyond tasteless," they wrote.
They observed that the paper is "obviously free to address any topic," even use exaggeration. But they added: "While you or some of your readers may not agree with the war or its conduct, we believe you owe the men and women and their families who so selflessly serve our country the decency to not make light of their tremendous physical sacrifices."
Hiatt, The Post's editorial page editor, told Kurtz "a cartoonist works best if he or she doesn't feel there's someone breathing over their shoulder." He explained that he comments on drafts of cartoons but Toles is free to ignore them.
Aravosis from AmericaBlog told E&P: "Now that the Joint Chiefs have addressed the insidious threat cartoons pose to our troops, perhaps they can move on to less pressing issues like getting them their damn body armor."
Joe Strupp, Dave Astor and Greg Mitchell (letters@editorandpublisher.com)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED 'Wash Post' Defends Toles Cartoon That Drew Angry Protest Letter from Joint Chiefs Tom Toles' editorial cartoon runs in about 200 newspapers. By Joe Strupp, Dave Astor and Greg Mitchell Published: February 01, 2006 http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001955937
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