Republicans — greatly aided by some in the mainstream media — have feasted in recent years on the “false equivalency” gambit. The most basic and infamous such example is the often-used phrase, “Well, they all do it.” Variants on that statement are intended to wash conservatives of responsibility for bad actions or statements by suggesting that, hey, Democrats do those things all the time, too.
This tactic — which didn’t work when as a five-year-old you broke something and then tried to get out of trouble by telling mom that your sibling broke stuff, too — shows no signs of decline in modern American politics. In fact, the tactic seems to be getting worse. Chief Shark-Jumper-of-the-Week is Dana Summers, editorial cartoonist syndicated by Tribune Content Agency. The image at top is snipped from Summers’ Dec. 14 exercise in obfuscation.
I’m sharing the clip here as fair use under provisions of US copyright law, so you may see what I’m talking about. You can go to www.gocomics.com/… if you like and see the whole ‘toon, and maybe even chuckle at the punchline, unseen above. But why would you? It’s just an extension of the entire false-equivalency meme. Hint: “THEY ALL DO IT.”
Well, very often they do not all do it. Take this case, for example. Whereas it’s explicitly clear from his own statements, which he has uttered more than once and even defended, that Donald Trump (up there on the right, for the caricature-challenged) really has proposed banning all Muslims from the USA.
But it’s absolutely not true — and in fact merely cherished, overblown, conservative/NRA hype — that President Obama or anyone else in power at the moment wants to “ban guns.” More adequately register them? Yes. Deny permits to suspected terrorists who have been able to buy thousands of weapons in this country? Yes. Broader background checks? Yes. Ban certain kinds of weapons, like so-called assault rifles? Yes.
I’m pretty sure those dastardly Democrats also would like to proscribe anti-tank weapons and shoulder-launched ground-to-air missiles for home use, too — ignoring the high utility of such armament when Obama comes to take your 9mm Glock.
But ban guns altogether, as this cartoon strongly implies? A silly but important lie, because it’s in large measure how Republicans these past few years have been whipping up frenzy in their voter base. Yup, he’s entering the 8th year of his presidency and — after years of plotting and any moment now! — Obama is going to break down your door and grab all your guns. Better buy more guns!
Also, Trump’s demeanor in this ‘toon is rather indefinite, hidden as he under all that combover. But Obama is depicted as angry and even crazed — a demeanor that is just not something he ever portrays, no matter how upset or angry he might be on the inside. His recent evening address to the nation on national TV was urgently toned but not hype-tastic; characteristically, he did not raise his voice or pound the lectern. This quiet, lawyerly approach, of course, only earns him demerits from the right for being uninspired if not shifty.
Important context here is that some right-wing shrills loudly insist that Obama is planning a military takeover of the country (or at least Texas), and that armed insurrection might be necessary (44% of self-identified Republicans in one poll agreed) to prevent that from happening. Because as part of his plot, the illegitimate Muslim-in-chief plans to confiscate guns in private circulation.
Of course, some of these same pundits also complain that Obama is disarming US military bases, which would kind of make it hard for soldiers from those bases to impose martial law on, say, Bettendorf, Iowa. Consistency apparently is the hobgoblin of rational people.
Meanwhile, while these rhetorical battles distract us from pressing common-sense reforms, let the domestic carnage out there continue, with gun massacres happening across the country at least daily on average. GOP message: We’re not safe from guns unless we all have them. Terrorists, foreign and domestic, included.
Now, to be sure, editorial cartoonists as a rule get more latitude than other pundits to be outrageous, because, after all, they’re cartoonists and often they’re stretching facts, because they get precisely one drawing to say something of value, and, somewhat like The Onion, they’re lampooning real events in hopes of a reader chuckle or three. But here, Summers (and this isn’t the first time) basically just lies, and that makes this particular cartoonist a willing tool of the National Rifle Association and the Republican National Committee.
No matter their latitude in stretching the truth for effect, through exaggeration or satiricial situation, editorial cartoonists once lived exclusively in the domain of newspaper editorial departments, and they were edited for taste, content and clarity, just like all the ink-stained wretches who actually covered the news and worried about nuance and fairness. Sadly, in many cases, that standard is no longer operative.
So because Summers is a liar, so, by extension, are the folks at Tribune Content Agency, an operation run by the outfit that owns the Chicago Tribune. Tribune Content Agency’s website describes itself as “a team of passionate editors, rights managers and technology experts providing quality content solutions for publishers around the globe.” Yeah, well the editorial arm at TCA ought to run this ‘toon through Politifact or Factcheck.org, checking the content for any sign of quality or solutions.
Sure, conservative views are legitimate, and free speech is to be treasured. Lies and misrepresentations of this sort? Not so much.
Guns don’t kill people; conservatives with gun memes kill people.