I would like to discuss my intentions behind the cartoon I drew for the Jan. 11 issue of The State News and address a specific complaint held against it.
The purpose of this cartoon was to establish my opinion regarding the underlying cause of the tragic shooting in Tucson, Ariz. Some groups have blamed Sarah Palin and other Tea Party advocates for being part of the motivation behind this attack and have suggested she should be held partially responsible for the shooter’s actions.
I completely disagree with this belief. Simply because Palin placed some crosshairs over Tucson does not make her morally responsible for the shooter’s actions.
Although I am not a fan of Palin or the Tea Party movement, it is important for those who disagree with Tea Party ideologies not to make bad arguments at the risk of weakening their own position. It is clear the cause of this tragedy was not a distasteful image Palin used on her website but a mentally ill individual.
In response to Sara Tischler (Cartoonist’s depiction of mental illness offensive, irresponsible SN 1/14), I did not state or depict in any way that all people with a mental illness are dangerous individuals. The lone gun depicted in my cartoon is an instance of mental illness, not mental illness in general.
Austin Hendry, State News cartoonist
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