When I first saw it, I didn't have any ideas on how to "correct" it. However, after forcing myself to read a recent screed or two of his, I think I came up with an improved version.

Yeah, I saw Lair's version yesterday. His makes much more sense.

Writing Rall might make you feel better, but it won't do anything else. A better strategy is to complain to the publications where this garbage appears.

The plane appears to be an F-4 Phantom, which was widely used in Vietnam and not at all, to my knowledge, in Iraq. Perhaps this is a freudian peek into the war Rall is fighting?

As conservatives we can laugh at ourselves. Our president chokes on a pretzel? Ha ha, that's kind of funny so we laugh.

Ted Rall? He isn't even funny by accident.

I re-read this pitiful excuse of a cartoon a couple of times, and I still don't get it...

Steve, you beat me to it. I noticed the same thing.

May I also suggest you/we contact any newspapers who've chosen to run Rall's pondscum cartoon and demand accountability from editors who are in the business of approving such garbage.

The Seattle Post Intelligencer ran the cartoon online but not in print. Mark Trahant, a member of the PI's editorial board, was on a local conservative talk radio show last night, KVI's Brian Suits Show, trying to explain the PI's reason to run the cartoon online but not in print. In the most half-assed, lazy manner imaginable, Trahant said—and I can almost quote all of what he said—that while the cartoon is reprehensible to the point that there isn't much you can say in its defense, it does "contribute to the discourse" on the Iraq war. He even went so far to call it "satire". Yes, it was that contradictory, pathetic and asinine of a defense that a prominent editor of a major used to defend running Rall's filth.

I've written the (very liberal, even outside of this) PI demanding that they run a public apology for even running the f-ing thing online.

Some people have good taste; some people have taste; some people have little taste; some people have no taste at all; and then there's Ted Rall. When you look up "septic tank" in webster, you see a picture of Rall. Two words come to mind to define Rall; oxygen thief.

I can appreciate good military humor, but that ain't it. Ted Rall is pond scum.

Considering the crap he comes up with, I'm not the least bit surprised that he includes these parts in his email guidelines:

-"Therefore, I do not respond to threatening, obscene or completely negative (i.e., nothing but criticism) emails."

-"Emails that contain threats will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agencies as well as your Internet provider."

That cartoon is just lame, something you might expect from a teenager (apologies to all of the teenagers who have their heads screwed on striaght but y'all know that some of your friends ain't quite right). The threat to contact law enforcement if you send him critical emails is equally juvenile (again apologies to those juveniles who do have some sense).

I can appreciate good work that is a "commentary" on war. I can even appreciate writing that is critical of war, i.e. "Jarhead" by Anthony Swofford. But Ted Rall is just plain stupid. No other way to put it.

Ya know, I hope that asshole meets up with some vets of the Iraq War who have read his comic and just happened to have a bad day.

People like this piss me off to no end. Grrr!

I tried but could not bring myself to even writing in the subject line to send this scum an e-mail. What good would it do to send him anything?

I'd agree that we should write to every newspaper that publishes this trash. Boycott, cancel subscriptions, what ever it takes to get their attention. Disagre with the war - fine. But this crap is so far over the line it is beyond belief!

mr simon, why didn't you include a link to your caption? i had to go digging for it. good thing it was worth it. everybody, click here to see it.

billy

I spent a good amount of time working on a barbarous satirical "strip" by Not-Really-Ted-Rall but it became so gross, I can't bear to host the image that resulted. Calling Rall "pond scum" really and truly insults pond scum. Rall is some demon from hell -- at least he's infested with one. It's a shame how depraved some living things can go when driven from the pits of Hades, but Rall's a sad case of just what devoid-of-good is.

Worse yet, Rall has no sense of humor. Completely lacks comedic appreciation.

Whoa. I followed a link from Salon.com's Daou Report expecting yet another right-wingnut attack on some poor shmuck who dared question Dubya's Conservative Genius. I have to say, I completely side with the critics on this one. It's nothing short of mindless bashing of our troops. It also trivializes the importance of the U.S. abuses of detainees by implying that our soldiers are thugs with no honor. Yeah, U.S. Soldiers participated in in these crimes, but it was at best a lack of competent command structure (or, at worst, a complicit command structure) that allowed it to happen. Put Dick "Torture is Good" Cheney in that cartoon, not a representative of the average U.S. serviceman.

By all means, write the papers and get this guy out of circulation. He's hurting the legitiate anti-war cause.

-- Winston

Sure it's a stupid cartoon...but Rush says vicious hateful sh*t everyday and you never say a word

I'm on the left-end of the Democratic Party, and I hate Ted Rall. He's disgusting, pointless, cruel, and obnoxious.

check out his cartoon on Pat Tillman, if you wanna get riled up.

but Rush says vicious hateful sh*t everyday and you never say a word

No examples, of course.

'but Rush says vicious hateful sh*t everyday '

Where he depicts Iraqi war vets as sadistic perverts? I guess I missed that.

Man that's funny! What a bunch of whiny, candy assed biatches you conservatives are! You know it's a good thing you gutless chicken hawk bastards didn't sign up to fight this war you so bravely support from the safety of your keyboards. If you sissy boys were over there, we'd really be losing this war!

Seamus post brought to us by "Meaningless and Mindlessly Repeated Liberal Memes."

Hey, Seamus, when you get off your ass and go be a police officer, firefighter and paramedic all at one time, then you can have a partial right to use the "chicken hawk bastards" line.

I'm a moonbat, but that cartoon didn't even make sense.

seamus,
I'm sorry for supporting the troops who risk their lives defending our country, as well as Iraq. I should instead be an ungrateful bastard bashing them from the safety of my keyboard, just like you.

Jason's post brought from The Midnless WHite Trash Conservative File.

I'm an EMT and a fire fighter, so can we settle on me just calling you a gutless POS? And are you a cop, paramedic and/or firefighter? And even if you are, can you please explain to me how that excuses you from being a gutless coward?

You don't have to apologize for supporting the troops ed. You have to apologize for being a spineless cur who would allow 150,000 soldiers go risk their lives for you while you do nothing, make no sacrifice whatsoever. And where exactly did I bash the troops?

You don't think the comic is just a tad bit un-supportive?

Seamus, I did sign up to fight the war. I was in the Air Force. I did fight the war on terror.

Waiting for your comeback.

A tad. ;) But I didn't mention the comic. I said the reaction was funny. It's just a comic. I mean after everything we know, 47% of the people in this country still support The Moron in Chief and his idiotic war. 47%! Anybody that dumb isn't going to be swayed by a cartoon.

Todd

Congratulations????

Jason's post brought from The Midnless WHite Trash Conservative File.

Great spelling.

I'm an EMT and a fire fighter,

Sure you are. Being able to slap Spongebob Squarepants band-aids on yourself and stopping your clothes from smoldering when your doobie ash falls on them don't count.

so can we settle on me just calling you a gutless POS?

Only if we can settle on me calling you a lying, hate-filled shit for brains.

And are you a cop, paramedic and/or firefighter?

Nope. I work with developmentally disabled adults. Unlike you, I'm actually needed and appreciated.

And even if you are, can you please explain to me how that excuses you from being a gutless coward?

Well, let's see... Since the point sailed right over your clueless little head, I'll spell it out for you.

There are hundreds of millions of people in this country, but only a small percentage are police officers, firefighters or paramedics. However, the vast majority of Americans support the work of the police, firefighters and paramedics. Since all these Americans support these groups but don't run right out and join up with them, does that make them akin to your "chicken hawks?" If not, why not? If so, then you're as much of a "chicken hawk" as anyone else because there are many needed duties, jobs and services that you support but don't do yourself.

"It's just a comic."

You probably don't see any problem with pasting "just comics" around Walter Reed either...

Lighten up people. What the hell is so offensive about this comic, it is a satire of how the world views our military. When the VP is openly supporting torture we are the laughing stock of the world. The military is so inept at fighting these conceptions of our armed forces and this is what we get. Quite a sad state of affairs.

Rall is no Tom Tomorrow.
That guy is just brilliant. I love when he goes back to show a quote from a politician after they say they never said something. (i.e. Cheney's Saddam 911 link).

Rall is too angry to be a comic. (Not that I can't blame him).

Jason
I'll make sure there's no typos. I know you have enough trouble reading without them. How to respond to your mindless drivel? How about you give me your address and next time you call 911, I'll remember that I'm neither an EMT or a firefighter.
You can call me whatever you want. The dimwitted (not to mention incorrect) ramblings of poorly educated trailer trash are not my concern.

I work with developmentally disabled adults.

Wiping your parents ass after they shit themselves again does not qualify as wroking with developmentally disabled adults. Nor does touching yourself at the group home. Sorry.

Since you've admitted you're not a cop, firefighter or Paramedic either, I guess you're a gutless chicken hawk POS by either of our definitions! COngratulations. Try using your logic on the parnets of the two thousand Americans killed. Our their spouses. Or their children. Or the soldiers who lost limbs. I'm sure they'll think you're just the bees knees.

LJD
Why would I?