the K Chronicles: "Stories from the Campaign Trail"

Comments on article "the K Chronicles: "Stories from the Campaign Trail""
Name Views and CommentsDate
tucson casey i think this comic strip is frickin' hilarious and all the controversy surrounding it is ridiculous. at the uofa the student council wants a front page apology from the paper editor for running the strip. this seems completely ridiculous and in no way addresses any issue of consequence. it's a move of political correctness, which undermines any real change in racial relations and understanding. 11/6/2008
ileana incisive - i'm afro-cuban and i don't find it offensive - the brother is lampooning ignorance and the contradictions we grapple with as americans (people who are so uninformed about race relations that they throw this word around unabashedly, but who are willing to vote for him...interesting case, though i wonder whether this could really happen) - this cartoon is a strong statement on how we've still got a long way to go on race relations, as heady and giddily hopeful and change-a-licious as this year has been. 11/3/2008
Jeff Keith should not be in trouble for that cartoon. It's very telling on the state of race in America. It's also funny, especially the "Ooo-Kay" in the 8th panel and her facial expression in panel 7. I laughed out loud. Thanks 10/31/2008
Scott N Also to Christy, this cartoon doesn't throw Republicans under the bus when there are a lot of people in this country who think what these characters are thinking...be they democrats or independents... 10/30/2008
Scott N Brilliant and funny cartoon! That is capturing America as it is. Great cartooning job and it has teeth, Keith! Thanks to you paper for having the balls to run it too! 10/30/2008
Peter "Dorothy Rogers" said, "I don't quite know why "the Black guy" wouldn't have been as effective".

It wouldn't have been as effective because it doesn't carry the element of surprise. Humor comes from an unexpected juxtaposition. That pretty much sums up what makes people laugh. You have to surprise someone if you want them to think you are funny. What's funny in this strip is the unexpected response to the question "who are you going to vote for?"

"We're going to vote for the N___" (I'll go ahead and not use the word, since it's inflammatory) is unexpected because it demonstrates cognitive dissonance, which means that it shows someone balancing two opposing ideas at the same time. On the one hand, the couple likes Obama enough to vote for him; on the other, they call him by the 'N-word', which demonstrates that they devalue him because he is black. The humor comes from the fact that as we read their response, we understand that this is happening, and we did not expect it to happen.

The gag remains funny on repeat readings because we enjoy the cognitive dissonance. Rolling that around in your head-- 'We're going to vote for the N___"-- is fun. But if the punch line had been, "We're going to vote for the black guy," there would be no cognitive dissonance, no surprise, and no humor. The specific act of devaluing Obama while feeling that he's still the best candidate is necessary for the strip to be funny. Without that, it's no funnier than saying, "We're going to vote for the white guy."		 10/30/2008
Nate Fantastic!

A truly excellent, sharp, intelligent comic.

Your reaction to the "controversy" was great too.

"Should we ignore stuff like this? I don’t think so.

Should it be in a comic strip. Yes!"

Perfect!		 10/30/2008
Thomas BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Sorry, it IS funny, because it's true. All that "Celebrity Communist Mulsim Terrorizing Israel Destryoing Unknown Arab from Kenya that we don't know anything about despite the fact that we have labeled him everything under the sun" that McCain/Palin been pushing for the past weeks now is just exactly that: don't vote for the n*ggah. We have had now neo-nazis plotting to kill Obama, people at the McCain "performances" calling to kill OBama, we had burning effigies…

… and still, STILL there are more and more white folks in dem rural areas going "yeah, we gonna vota for the n*ggah". And you know something? That they put their own prejudices, if not aside, but pushing them pack as not as relevant in this election, that alone shows that America is growing up, painfully, slowly, but it is. growing. up.

And for that, from the other side of the pond: kudos!		 10/30/2008
Brown I made a comment about this "cartoon" yesterday. Is was respectful and to the point; but I notice it's no longer included. Was it because it pointed out that the most racist comments during this election campaign have been made by Obama, Wright, the Clintons, Biden, Michelle ... I guess, if someone disagrees with the Messiah or his followers, they don't get a voice. 10/30/2008
Christy Equally offensive -- using the racial slur, and typecasting Republicans as racists. 10/29/2008
n man excellent choice of words.. especially the one with the n 10/29/2008
MD Ivy A vote is a vote right! I actually thought it was funny. Mostly because it's truth. Let's be real here people. How many individuals say the exact same thing behind closed doors.

And to Brown, I don't know if you noticed but Barack is Black (50% at least). And so yes it matters. All this nonsense about not seeing color is silly.		 10/29/2008
speciesamused I do not see anything wrong with it. Realism. 10/29/2008
Dorothy Rogers Your cartoon with the N-word in it is causing quite a stir! I don't quite know why "the Black guy" wouldn't have been as effective -- but then again, I probably wouldn't be emailing if you'd used that term, bcs it wouldn't have been as controversial, now would it? I'd like to know more about what the cartoon means to you personally. Any chance you'll be writing commentary on it yourself? 10/29/2008
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