CSotD: That other “peace prize”
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Zapiro (Jonathan Shapiro) is one of the giants of political cartooning, though his firm anchor in South Africa makes much of his work a bit inaccessible to outsiders. Having a firm anchor, however, is a key to solid commentary, and, just are there are several African nations in a state of continual flux, so, too, there are several African cartoonists using their art to prod their governments. In that lively and talented group, Zapiro is the most celebrated and widely read.
South African President Jacob Zuma has just begun suing Zapiro for a cartoon he did two years ago. It's not the first time Zuma has threatened legal action over the mockery, but this time the papers have been filed and, while Zapiro appears unintimidated, it is a case worth watching, given that the South African government has, as noted here before, proposed some chilling press restrictions.
All of which has little to do with today's cartoon, in which he takes on an international cause. This is a good chance for those outside South Africa to appreciate Zapiro's fierce wit, which can make the reader laugh while making the subject squirm.
(And, as someone who has read the Analects, I always appreciate Confucius references which aren't simply fortune cookie aphorisms delivered in a Charlie Chan dialect but actually do refer to Master K'ung.)
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