The Art Of Politics: October And Never-Ending Conflicts
by Richard Bruton
Another month, another set of terrible events, all summarised perfectly by political cartoonists around the world – it’s The Art Of Politics…
Well, slightly different this month. Usually, I’ll break it down into cartoons covering the USA and the UK, maybe some Ukraine, climate, and whatever else may have been in the news. But this month, there’s one huge dominant story that everyone is covering in their political cartoons – the Israel-Hama war.
Like so many longstanding conflicts/political problems/wars around the world, there’s no easy solution to this one. There’s no clear-cut black-and-white reading of the situation. It’s historical, it’s divided on so many things, including religion – and that’s always a difficult thing to deal with.
But one thing is certain. This is not a good situation. Terrorism is a terrible thing. Waging war on a whole population that you see as the enemy is a terrible thing. And what we see in Israel and Gaza right now is a terrible, heartbreaking thing.
The situation has to find a solution that stops the killing. But for now, as Ella Baron‘s quite brilliant cartoon points out – the innocent deaths on both sides simply continue to rise…
Ben Jennings on the endless cycle of the Israel/Palestine problem…
Morten Morland – terrorists inflicting wounds on both sides…
And an escalation update, more from Martin Ronson
And Nicola Jennings again – munitions don’t distinguish between terrorists and civilians…
And there were a lot of cartoons this month playing on the ideas of peace and doves…
And another Morten Morland
And again from Peter Schrank
Ella Baron on Biden’s visit and the threat of escalation…
Martin Rowson on Biden’s visit…
AND NOW, OVER IN THE USA…
There was a bit of a problem with the Speaker of the House, third in line to President, all kicked off with the ousting of Republican Kevin McCarthy by Matt Gaetz and other right wingers…
With the Speaker’s position open and legislature hogtied until a new Speaker was elected, we then had a procession of candidates trying, and failing, to get the Republican Party behind them…
Until, finally, we had a new Speaker – Mike Johnson. A man who was such a nobody that his election spawned any number of news articles asking ‘Who is Mike Johnson?’ Lets just say that, with a voting record against women’s rights and against LGBTQ+ rights, it’s pretty much business as usual with the Republicans…
OH YES, DONALD TRUMP…
Well, I’ve lost count of how many trials, civil trials, and indictments the ex-President has ongoing. It’s a lot. A LOT. Trump isn’t keeping quiet about any of them – speaking out, bullying, and generally being Donald Trump. To the degree that he’s already been slapped with $15,000 in fines (although, based on some of the evidence, he’d probably list it as more in his accounts) and warnings of gag orders and prison time…
AND OF COURSE, THERE WERE MORE MASS SHOOTINGS… IT’S THE AMERICAN WAY…
There have been more than 560 mass shootings across the US so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. They define a mass shooting as “a minimum of four victims shot, either injured or killed, not including any shooter who may also have been killed or injured in the incident.” It’s a horrific thing to see.
The latest to make the news was in Lewiston, Maine, where a man obviously suffering mental health issues took his legally bought and owned assault rifle and killed 18 people, wounding another 13. Maine has very weak gun laws in relation to mental health, usually known
as red flag laws.
Of course, the USA is still the only country in the world where this happens so routinely. Instead of being an issue to tackle, even if it’s just obvious things like registration of guns, limiting access to those with mental health issues, and getting rid of the sort of weaponry that only belongs in the military, the USA is ruled by the gun lobby and the NRA, refusing to move on the issue, always putting forward the Second Amendment of the US Constitution as their reasoning.
Remember, that Second Amendment reads “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Well, there’s nothing well-regulated going on here. It’s carnage and violence and senseless deaths.
Strictly Cristo on the stupidity of it all – and the best way to travel through Texas…
NOW, OVER TO BRITAIN…
As I say, the Israel-Hama war dominated the political cartoonists this month. But there was a little UK-specific work…
The month opened with the Conservative Party conference, where Rishi Sunak ran away from every green pledge they’ve every made and announced the cancellation of the HS2 rail network extension to Manchester, and the entire party trotted out all the old favourites… all while Rishi Sunak saw his first anniversary pass…
