A Neutral View

Team Member Name: Chelsea Hunter

Publication: michellehenry.fr

Date: N/A
Cartoonist: N/A
U.S. or International:  U.S.

Title of Cartoon: Feeding Tube

Cartoon Number: 13

What action is taking place in the cartoon? This cartoon shows a feeding tube leading to a man pointing a gun, his finger on the trigger. Ideas from violence portrayed through various media and things such as anger, lax parenting, lax gun laws and guns all come through the feeding tube to the individual.

What is the context? The context explains there are things other than access to a gun which lead up to a shooting or violent incident. The cartoonist shows that effects from violent media "feed" individuals responsible for school shootings. The artist shows this is an issue far too complex to blame on one individual cause; rather, there are many factors that contribute to an individual's violent behavior. The artist does include lax gun laws and exposure to guns in the factors.

Neutral framing of stricter gun control laws.
Framing is neutral of those in favor for increased gun control.
Framing is neutral to those who are against increased gun control laws.

What reality is constructed/framed about stricter gun control laws? The cartoon is framed in a way that doesn’t really correlate with either those that are for gun control or against it; the cartoon simply lays out the problems with guns and presents it in an unbiased way. The reality behind this cartoon shows the problem coming not solely from guns getting into the wrong hands. There are also other things that promote a violent mentality. There is so much violence in the media that we should expect some of it to leak into our reality. With factors such as built up anger, lenient parenting and gun laws that aren’t as strict as they perhaps should be, the mentality of young people cab procure insane ideas to shoot helpless victims. 

Team Member Name: Paul Christiansen

Publication: Green Bay Press-Gazette

Date: January 14, 2013
Cartoonist: Joe Heller
U.S. or International:  U.S.

Title of Cartoon: Gun Control Debate

Cartoon Number: 14

What action is taking place in the cartoon? A hunter stands on a hillside, lamenting his inability to get some “peace and quiet” to carry on his hunt. Things are noisy because of the constant debate between gun advocates and those who seek more control through stricter laws.

What is the context? At the time of this cartoon’s publication the nation was engulfed in a battle between gun control advocates and those who sought to keep their right to bear arms. The Newtown tragedy was still fresh in the public eye and fueled the debate. Many citizens and editorial columnists believed those on both sides of the debate were going about things the wrong way.

Neutral framing of stricter gun control laws.
Framing is opposed of those in favor for increased gun control.
Framing is opposed to those who are against increased gun control laws.

What reality is constructed/framed about stricter gun control laws? The reality here shows the common man — in this case, a hunter searching out “peace and quiet — as being alienated by all parties involved in the gun control debate. The common man doesn’t have a voice in the argument. It doesn’t appear that anyone has asked him for his opinions, but it also doesn’t appear that he wants any part of the impractical debate where both sides are making false statements in the “blame game.”