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April 30, 2007
Call Me Crazy
...Of course the Virginia Tech shootings were also big news, but I pray Stantis doesn't try to tackle that issue...
-- The Furnace (4/29/07)
Nice try, Furnace, but apparently God doesn't listen to the prayers of heathen liberals.
Yes, Scott Stantis went there. In the space reserved for rabbit punches at Democrats and jokes about dinosaurs, Stantis is trying to help us cope with the tragedy at Virgina Tech.
And he gives us some questions to ponder. Three of the five questions have to deal with one of his favorite talking points, the "corrosion of the culture." But I think the more accurate questions to ask are why wasn't the shooter committed and how did he get access to firearms.
As Steve Kroft said in last night's '60 Minutes' while speaking with a mental health professional, "as a matter of common sense, it seems like a good idea to try and keep firearms out of the hands of people who don't know the difference between right and wrong. Call me crazy, call me irresponsible."
(It was an unintentionally hilarious moment for such a sobering report.)
I'm not going to hammer at Stantis too much here. But the violent zig-zags he takes -- the political potshots followed by the inexplicable storylines followed by the somber tributes to a tragedy -- just reaffirm my belief that this strip needs to be retired.
Comments
What the hell is Stantis talking about? The questions are easy: why did he do it, and could it have been prevented? Stantis offers up a list of possible explanations in the form of questions, but that doesn't mean we don't know what the questions are to begin with. I'm sorry, but Stantis comes across like an idiot here. I can sympathize with trying to take a "sobering" look at what happened, but this is just a stupid way to frame it.
Posted by: The Furnace at April 30, 2007 10:20 AM
Had Stantis waited a few days, he'd know the answer to why: because the guy was nuts, the judge erred in not ordering him to inpatient care, and the people who sold him the guns didn't do the proper background checks.
In a way, it's a right-winger's dream, because this case doesn't call for new gun laws, just enforcement of the ones on the books!
But Scottie had a deadline two weeks away, we can't expect him to wait around for the story to unfold.
In two weeks: an Ode to Josh Hancock, and a slam on Jeff Gordon.
Posted by: Annie at April 30, 2007 11:53 AM
Interestingly, both "Prickly City" and "Candorville" commented on the VT shootings. Shockingly, "Prickly City" was more sensitive in dealing with it.
"Prickly City" today wasn't supposed to be funny, clearly, but rather a somber tribute to those who died. Stantis at least had enough decency to not make jokes about it.
But "Candorville"! Usually I love that strip. It's hilarious AND topical (unlike Scott Stantis). Today, however, it was shockingly insensitive and even a bit cruel. It depicts an American TV watcher sleeping through news reports of massive numbers of people being killed in Iraq, but awakes with a gasp when the reports are about 32 being killed in the U.S.
It's a reasonable comment on our society, but so soon after this tragedy I find it insensitive, shocking, and appalling. Mr. Bell, I am a huge fan of your strip, but today I was disgusted by the way you commented on the VT shootings.
Oh, and Mr. Stantis, thank God you didn't try to make a joke about this.
Posted by: Chris at April 30, 2007 07:40 PM
Interestingly, both "Prickly City" and "Candorville" commented on the VT shootings. Shockingly, "Prickly City" was more sensitive in dealing with it.
"Prickly City" today wasn't supposed to be funny, clearly, but rather a somber tribute to those who died. Stantis at least had enough decency to not make jokes about it.
But "Candorville"! Usually I love that strip. It's hilarious AND topical (unlike Scott Stantis). Today, however, it was shockingly insensitive and even a bit cruel. It depicts an American TV watcher sleeping through news reports of massive numbers of people being killed in Iraq, but awakes with a gasp when the reports are about 32 being killed in the U.S.
It's a reasonable comment on our society, but so soon after this tragedy I find it insensitive, shocking, and appalling. Mr. Bell, I am a huge fan of your strip, but today I was disgusted by the way you commented on the VT shootings.
Oh, and Mr. Stantis, thank God you didn't try to make a joke about this.
http://www.comics.com/wash/candorville/archive/candorville-20070430.html
Posted by: Chris at April 30, 2007 07:41 PM
I tend to disagree, especially after Jon Stewart's interview with the Iraqi envoy where he brought this issue up. It's more of a sad commentary on us that it's only when the violence hits us here at home that we take note. I don't think any of us can imagine three VT shootings happening every day of the week, yet that's the reality in Iraq because of our invasion. I don't think Bell was going for a laugh, but that's just how I read it.
Posted by: The Furnace at April 30, 2007 08:34 PM
