This cartoon referred to the many prominent stories about the dangers of combining Viagra, the popular new cure for impotency, with heart medications. Several deaths had occurred.

The reader apparently had no clue that this major news story had broken. It never occurred to him to blame himself for not knowing what was going on in the news--instead, he blamed the artist for being "unclear." Total ignorance of even the biggest, most widely publicized events of the day never seems to deter people from reading whatever they want into cartoons based on those topics. In this sense, cartoons tell us more about the letter writer's personal issues than they do about the cartoonist.

The cartoonist cannot be held responsible for the readers' ignorance. Classical satire requires that the reader become familiar with the topic which the satirist is taking off on to "get it". If they don't get it and fail to consider that it might be about something they haven't heard or read about, then they don't understand what satire is. It is not the duty of the satirist to provide the reader with an explanation of the story before proceeding on to doing the satire. To do so would ruin the art. As Jack Benny said, "I just tell 'em, folks--I don't explain 'em."

READER REACTION:

Elderly deserve our respect
Although Wagner's political cartoons are frequently ineffective at making their point clear, Wednesday's cartoon can only be described as cruel. Wagner's point here seems to be that sex among the elderly is a topic deserving of ridicule. The couple depicted in the cartoon are shown as unattractive and old, having foolishly attempted to use Viagra to enjoy sex with one another. The result, according to Wagner, is that the man has had a heart attack and the woman is trapped beneath his body. The caption reads, "Help! We've fallen, and we can't get up!" Wagner seems to subscribe to the notion that it is only appropriate for young, healthy and attractive people to enjoy sex. This belief robs older people of their humanity and is part and parcel of the kinds of abuse we see all too often in rest homes. It is ironic and disgraceful that we spend billions of dollars to prolong life and yet allow attitudes like Wagner's to deny the elderly the right to enjoy those extra years. The fact is that many of our older citizens have active and healthy sex lives, and if Viagra can make their sex better, they have every right to enjoy its use. I would suggest that Wagner spend some time in a nursing home and get to know the people there. I think he would see that the elderly have a great deal to teach us -- including, probably, some things about sex -- and their long experience in life merits them respect. How sad that Wagner has failed to see this.
Harold Torger Vedeler, graduate student, interdisciplinary archeological studies

MAY 29, 1998- EDITORIAL/OPINIONS - Letters to the Editor - Minnesota Daily