Turnabout Is Fair Play
Almost thirty years ago I started reading Doonesbury. We didn't get the comics in the local paper; we got them in book form and read them over and over again. In the early 1970's they were a revelation, funny, topical, and above all liberal. About twenty-five years ago, Trudeau turned his eye on the situation in Iran and the "Stop the Shah" crowd. He was in favor of overthrowing the ancient dynasty and letting a new government take charge. I clearly remember the comics of Kissinger being confronted by his students wearing cardboard masks, one of whom had to cut an additional hole for his nose. The thing about the "Stop the Shah" masks was that they were worn to prevent the Iranian secret police from hurting your family. The joke was that the big-nose student was readily identifiable.
There are today some
very dedicated and brave people working to free Iran from the control of the intolerant mullah's who are abusing the Persian people, but they aren't being covered in Doonesbury. This makes sense in a lot of ways because they aren't a joke. They don't wear masks for a lot of reasons, probably because the terror squads have already imprisoned or brutally killed their families. The other statement of not wearing masks is that they are prepared to be accountable for a democratic Iran. In the spirit of fair play, though, I think that Trudeau owes these people some coverage. Arnold in
California is undoubtedly an easier target and carries less anguish than admitting naïve stupidity. Can Doonesbury stay relevant another? Can Trudeau respect turnabout?
