Cartoons contribute an important voice

I have been disappointed by recent letters to the editor that bemoan the lack of taste and humor in the cartoons carried by the Mountain Xpress [“Brent Brown and Xpress Should Apologize,” March 13].

I honestly never laugh at the Xpress cartoons, but I always read them because they are an important voice — even if they are mocking a demographic that includes me, or if the imagery references painful events in American history. It's part of the beauty of the genre that cartoonists can evoke a deep well of history and take a strong stance with just the sweep of a line.

I think it's understood that that line will alienate some people. Even when cartoons are not laugh-out-loud funny, they're built upon the basic understanding of comedy, which is that someone, somewhere, will likely be offended. It's a risk to draw a cartoon, and a risk to read one. I'll gladly engage in this risk any day, and I thank Mountain Xpress for continuing to publish cartoons.

— Jessica Newton
Enka

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Cartoons contribute an important voice

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.