Severely handicapped class arrives - The Lowell

Political cartoons
History and influence
dins, or anything political in
Some of them are. striking:
•Jthen are grotesque. Good
roHUcal cartoons stimulate, provoke,
and arouse public Interest.
They can be satirical, quizika) or
•itty.
•••*/ »*'**fc»wjci»« i innergrasp
the essence ol people oractions.
Although the invention of printing
allowed n>m to cu-ulale pktorial
wtire lo a large number of
people, significant evinU and
strikiiig pcronalU.es were still
needed to Inipirr men tn express
ihOTlKhci.
The Pefomvtion and religious
figures tike Martin Luther and
dCTl VI supplied these
century Italy. Therefore, political
satire had to. be amhigious or
disguised in order lo survive.
The Pint well-known political
cartoon in America was "Join, or
Die." It pictured a snake severed
into right pieces, each reprev-n-
I7S4.
Franklin's carlo urged the
colonies in America lo unite
i|timt tbe French during the
French and Indian War. During
the Asierican Revolution. "Join,
or Die" became the rallying cry
again.
Perhaps U.e gp-atest American
cartoonist was Thomas N«t. lie U
credited with having introducrd
One of the cartoons Nut used
to bring about Tweed'i
downfall
modern uiiriciIpcUtlcal carloon*.
Na.l aliacked WUW:
Twjed, a corrupt nineteenth century
politician of New York City,
through cartoons. This brought
about Tweed 1 * downfall.
Nast created the Democratic
donkey and the R**publ!can
elephant.
"TN- best polirkal canoo.iiits
are able to express a bask truth
and at the unit lime, catch the
mood of iht people." eiprroeri
Mike Peter*. Pulitzer Pruc wlnn-
' ing carutonht of the Option Dailr
,Vnv
Dictators bate beer awkre of the
pmer of the political cartoom;
they h*\c been the earliest victim
of cenwnhip.
Our society it far Irom perfevt.
Corruption. diMilcr. and death
•irr ublquluris. Political cartoons
sharpen our temei lo the changing
wer* around us.
"JoU» or DW" th« ftr*t American potlUe*! cartoon
Controversy over acid rain
ByEraFc-rta
You axe standing in front of a
blue lake, dear as gum. Not a ripple
Dreaks the nirface,
Mdljr enough, this lake U dead,
devoid of all microscopic life forms
and the fish that feed on them.
This U but one of the effects of an
environmental catastrophe called
add ruin.
Acid rain I* the result o. emissions
of sulfur dioxMc from coalfired
electric power plants and
nitrogen oxide waste from
automobiles.
r*Inc thousand lakes und 60,000
miles of stream* are at risk Iron.
add rain. The National Academy
of Science* has found that add
rain does significant, pouitly irreversible,
damage to forest* and
stnbaswl).
The corrosion damages from
acid rain on buildings and
monuments cost the United Slates
S2 trillion per year.
public health b another concern.
Statistic* are linking sulfale
pollution with re«piraio:y diseases
resulting in thoufands of
pnmattUT deaths every year.
9U M OMIT «VE
5. K CA «10>
Nlott yf the contrencrsy yrer
arid rain concerns the reductti n of
tftc&c rulfur emissions. Fact tries
could switch from high-sulfur to
lowuilfur coat but the com*
munitjes and workers that depend
on high-sulfur coal prediction
"Calling for
more research
is just an excuse
for delay."
Factories could incorporate
pollution control equipment, but
installation would be ctntly and inefficient
for thne companies.
"The Industries want the resource
of air lo uvc. and they feel its tliek
right to UK or misuse this
resource.** remarked Thomas
Other of the Sierra Cub.
What U the Reagan » the generalkalion
that conservatives support individual
liberties, ktagan id*
Tocatcs measures to outlaw abortion
and impoJ- prayer.
Mondale. the Democratic candidate,
plans to raise taxes and
federal spending to pay for Increased
social programs. He is also
planning a 15-pcrccnl tax on corport
tic ns. a group often accused
of paying low taxes and making
high profits.
Thfiugh he h.*s tf