A Forum for Vigorous Debate, Cornerstone of Democracy

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A FORUM FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND VIGOROUS DEBATE, CORNERSTONES OF DEMOCRACY
[For the journal--guidelines, focus, etc.--go to www.theamericandissident.org. If you have questions, please contact me at todslone@hotmail.com. Comments are NOT moderated (i.e., CENSORED)!]
Encouraged censorship and self-censorship seem to have become popular in America today. Those who censor others, not just self, tend to favor the term "moderate," as opposed to "censor" and "moderation" to "censorship." But that doesn't change what they do. They still act as Little Caesars or Big Brother protectors of the thin-skinned. Democracy, however, demands a tough populace, not so easily offended. On this blog, and to buck the trend of censorship, banning, and ostracizing, comments are NEVER "moderated." Rarely (almost NEVER) do the targets of these blog entries respond in an effort to defend themselves with cogent counter-argumentation. This blog is testimony to how little academics, poets, critics, newspaper editors, cartoonists, political hacks, cultural council apparatchiks, librarians et al appreciate VIGOROUS DEBATE, cornerstone of democracy. Clearly, far too many of them could likely prosper just fine in places like communist China and Cuba or Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Russia, not to mention Sweden, England, and Austria.
ISSUE #45 PUBLISHED MAY 2023. NOW SEEKING SUBMISSIONS FOR ISSUE #46.

More P. Maudit cartoons (and essays) at Global Free Press: http://www.globalfreepress.org

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Andrei Codrescu

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The above cartoon was sketched in 2007.  I'm working on the front cover for the next American Dissident, which will feature Codrescu et al.  So, I was looking for a photo of him, then recalled I'd done this toon, so decided to post it.  Kevin Larimer (Poets & Writers mag editor) will also be featured, so I hunted for his photo and noticed the old toon that I did on him appears right away.  Now, that's great!  Thanks to the internet, I've actually got voice... at least for the moment.  In essence, when someone does a search on Larimer, he or she will not simply find hagiography, but will also notice my critical cartoon right away.  Larimer refuses to permit my voice in P&W.  He is not by any means an exception.  That sad state of poetry in America, as a backslapping and self-congratulating game that ostracizes anyone daring to criticize the backslappers, is the rule.