Cartoonist Clay Bennett's Cartoons-Anything But Innocent Fun

Cartoons- Anything but Innocent Fun
Often artists and other figures in the media are the most influential people after a tragedy has occurred. These people use their craft to gather the general emotions of the public and display them in a way that citizens from all groups can relate. After the events that took place in Ferguson, Missouri that left Michael Brown dead, writers of all mediums have found inspiration and courage to respond in a way that brings attention to the issues of systematic racism and police brutality. A glance at the cartoons created at the time of the events use the emotional appeal of various groups to show a relationship between the ink on the page and the reality African Americans witness firsthand. Cartoonist Clay Bennett relies heavily on the use of pathos in order to reach the emotions of the viewer and instill a message against injustice. In Bennett’s cartoon, published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press in 2014, the stark image of a police car driving by a bus stop is shown. Around the bus stop are a white man and a white woman, completely unbothered by the presence of the police and

In Deering’s cartoon, found in the Arkansas newspaper for which he works, two white citizens are shown pointing at a police officer who is dressed in highly protective gear. Along with the image is the caption, “’Oh…that’s the officer who specializes in building a trusting relationship with the community’” (citation?). This caption shows Deering mocking the role of police in society, yet his cartoon is still far less controversial because of the race of the men shown. Nevertheless, the idea of an uneasy feeling around police is depicted, though the cartoon ignores the struggle of the injustice faced by African Americans when dealing with the