Mad man!!!

You did not know nothing about China and Taiwan. Why you draw such ugly

cartoon? You idiot!!!

Hope god will punish!!! The sooner the better!!!!!!

anonymous

Cartoon disrespects Confederate flag

I am writing in response to “Poison Ink” by Carmen Cerra. It was on the proper display of the Confederate flag, which was seen as sitting in a toilet. I like your work for the most part, but I think you went a little overboard on this one. In many ways, it is disrespectful. How would you like it if someone drew up the same picture and in place of the stars and bars put the stars and stripes?

While I must say I am from the North and had relatives who fought during the Civil War for the North, I also realize the sacrifice both sides gave up during this war. I don’t believe the Confederate flag should be displayed for any state, especially at the capital. My reasoning for this is that it creates segregation, separation and racism in the United States.

I served four years in the United States Navy, which allowed me to be stationed in Biloxi, Miss., and Norfolk, Va. During this time, I realized the Confederate flag had meaning in different ways to other people.

Many people are proud of the Confederate flag because it is a piece of their family history, especially those who lost a war that they believed in at the time. It is the right of those families to display it on their property because of their family sacrifices, although that is where the flag should stay. Showing it at the state capitol as a state flag represents there is still separation of “one nation under God” in the United States. Your picture, Carmen, causes more hate and disrespect for those families. Do you think if you published that picture in Virginia or Mississippi people would be happy?

Many people also believe that slavery was the main or only cause of the Civil War. As my history teacher in Eldora said, “Slavery was just one of the many reasons for the war.”

In many instances, males make higher wages. Women can’t serve in combat. If you look at the U.S. Census, compare the population to who is in managerial positions in this country or even government positions.

Before the Civil War, the country was going through an economic revolution. Northern businesses became more important than Southern agriculture. Anyone who is a farmer from Iowa should understand that concept. There was also major change in political power to the Northern States.

They both had conflicting interests such as cotton production for exports while the North liked producing its own. Anyone who understands economics understands this problem. The North forced tariffs to protect manufacturers which hurt the South. So, you see, your picture does not show the truth but only an inappropriate display of a flag.

Mark SeeSophomoreManagement information systems

Cerra does good work

I would just like to say that I was appalled and angered by the depiction of NASA and space scientists in Carmen Cerra’s cartoon in the Oct. 4th issue of the Daily. Mr. Cerra, how dare you undermine a national treasure like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the eyes of our nation’s college students? Sure, NASA makes mistakes. What government agency doesn’t?

That doesn’t mean that you need to jump on every small blunder like a rabid dingo on a baby.

I also would like to take issue with your depiction of space scientists and engineers as fat, balding middle-aged men with no fashion sense. Rolled up sleeves and toy satellite models went out with the ’70s, Mr. Cerra. Your cartoon has created a boundless rift between the engineers, scientists and their alumni at Iowa State and the rest of the campus as a whole.

I would appreciate it if you would do some research before letting the urine of your “Poison Ink” seep out of your swim trunks and into our pool. In short, I would like to say, “Keep up the good work, Carmen.” Your blunt style and sharp wit have kept me reading the Daily after I have left ISU months and miles away. What good is freedom of speech if it’s not exercised regularly? As long as that pen of yours is furiously drawing away I know that I can always find someone who will tell it like he sees it. Don’t apologize to anyone for the way you see the world, Carmen, and as a great man once said, “Don’t let the bastards get you down!”

Eric AndersonISU Alumni

Apologize, Cerra

As a student from China, I find Carmen Cerra’s cartoon from Oct. 1 very disturbing. Mr. Cerra, do you know that Oct. 1 is China’s national day, just like your Independence Day?

Do you know that it is celebrated not only by the “Party,” as you apparently have thought but also by 1.2 billion Chinese people?

If you know the above facts and intentionally put the humiliating picture in the Daily on this very special day, you have insulted over 400 Chinese students and faculty at Iowa State and owe us an apology.

Mr. Cerra, I am appalled by the ignorance about and prejudice against China demonstrated by your picture. There are over 400 Chinese students at Iowa State.

Most of us came on assistanceship from ISU and had nothing to do with the “Party.” Had you spoken to any of us before, you would have had a better understanding of China.

I have no problem with informed and constructive criticism about China. Every country has its own problems. But Mr. Cerra, next time you have the urge to criticize or ridicule, do you homework or stick to the issues you are familiar with.

Peng Jiang

No losers

While I enjoyed Carmen Cerra’s cartoon, I’d like to point out that there were no “losers” in the debate over the naming of Catt Hall except perhaps an administration that presented itself as out of touch and uninterested in marginalized groups.

Those on all sides of the Catt Hall debate learned quite a bit about controversial discourse in a democracy—how it’s supposed to function and what happens when it gets derailed.

I am concerned, however, whenever I see white supremacy equated with the Ku Klux Klan.

By reducing white supremacy to the symbolism of the most radical fringe, we are able to avoid discussing the less obvious and supposedly more “civil” ways in which white supremacy functions in our society.

White supremacy isn’t limited to the dragging death of James Byrd in Texas; it also exists in a system that perpetuates white privilege by institutionalizing it.

For instance, white students graduating from ISU can be reasonably certain that the people with the power to interview and hire in the corporate world will be people of their race, and that being white will not work against them in the job search.

That’s white privilege—the unexamined ways in which being white makes things easier for those of us who, through no fault of our own, have been born into the privileged side of the racial divide.

If The September 29th Movement has a single most valuable contribution to make to ISU, it is in the way we have consistently asked ourselves and those around us to examine the previously unexamined, and to challenge our assumptions.

As a side note, I recently saw a “Quick-E” that wanted to know where former 9/29ers were since, being English majors, we surely couldn’t have jobs yet.

Of the alumni group I’m in contact with, we have one working as a journalist, another has a position with a Black Theater group, a third is in law school, one is teaching and another is on a creative writing fellowship at a major midwestern university.

I’m wrapping up coursework on my Ph.D. and promoting my first book.

Obviously, commitment to political action hasn’t been a handicap.

Kel Munger

Offensive and mean-spirited cartoons

Is there a point to the “Poison [Ink]” cartoons or is Carmen Cerra trying to find out how offensive and mean-spirited one can get before they are called on it?

Mike Martin

That’s not funny

I have to admit that some of Carmen Cerra’s work cracks me up, but lately I’ve been finding this pseudo-intellectual humor very offensive.

I took the Catholicism piece as an attack against my religion. “Fine,” I said.

I took that in stride. “Yeah, 2000 years of kicking ass.”

Today’s little piece on the radar evading plane went just a little too far.

War is not funny. No matter what side you are on.

Did Carmen take into consideration the pilot that risked his life out there?

Who cares if we agree with what’s going in Yugoslavia or not. A man was just doing his job in that plane and putting his life on the line.

What do you think the pilots family went through while they were awaiting news of his rescue?

Carmen, it is not funny and you are not funny.

Would it be funny if we saw a comic about innocent people having the crap bombed out of them? No!

You should have some respect for this man. He was just doing what he was ordered to do.

What if you were in his situation?

Andy Perfecto