Regardless of the hisses and boos, Thom, having proudly defended your right to be as perverse as you are, I feel affirmed when you and others dare to publish such. Hell, I even laughed…which goes to show how perverse I can be.
I’ll admit to being disturbed knowing my own history as well as being an avid student of history. My family (by marriage) is Pinoy. Apologies? I have none. Respect? I have much. Disrespect? I have experienced that as a Vietnam veteran and a policeman. Censorship? I will not condone. Humor? An entertainment not always for the squeamish; humorous is not always funny.
My home town tank battalion was sent there just before Pearl Harbor. One or two were killed in the fighting. One died on the march. Over sixty died in the camps and on prison ships to Japan. Look up the “Janesville 99”
Irony? → The road I most often take to and from town to the area where my rural house is located (house isn’t on the highway) is designated as the Bataan Memorial Highway. Subaru’s US plant is located on this highway and I pass it going to and from town all the time. The signs for this are still up. I also drive a car made there
Could be Thom’s take on this was with respect…………This was done in Black and White.
It made me look up the Death March, and I found that there is a commemorative Bataan Death March at the White Sands Missile Range each year………26 miles as well as 14 miles.
With respect, I honor all who had to partake of this March!
While I can appreciate your twisted sense of humor, I also feel that this badly crossed the poor taste line. What those soldiers had to go through, with many being tortured and killed, is not an appropriate story line for a cartoon. I agree with “andylit” that this was some place that you simply shouldn’t have gone.
I’m very, very sorry for offending anyone with this cartoon – THAT WAS NEVER MY INTENT. Nor was it my intent to belittle the tragedy of Bataan in any way nor the bravery of those who were there and suffered.
Unfortunately, too many have taken the intent of today’s cartoon the wrong way. This cartoon was meant to be a parody of the “March of the Penguins,” which was a documentary (albeit sanguine documentary) about penguins marching to reporduce. Because I thought that documentary was so overdramatized, I chose to make an overdramatized cartoon about it – NOT ABOUT BATAAN.
My father fought in the South Pacific in WWII – I have the greatest respect and admiration for all who fought in that war – and all the others as well, It is NEVER my intent to make light of any such sacrifices.
I hope you will accept my apology for what was evidently one of my greatest strikeouts yet. Hey, I never promised you perfection, but I will try to be more sensitive to other interpretations – to the best of my ability.
I am outraged at this strip. My father – in – law was in the Bataan Death March and was a prisoner of war for 5 years. When he came home he weighed only 89 lbs and he was in a military hospital for nearly a whole year. He told how he was forced to hold his best friend in his arms while they pulled out his friend’s fingernails trying to get my father – in – law to give them information. He was the oldest enlisted man left in their group as a Master Sargent at the age of 17. He lied about his age to get into the service to begin with. He told how they gave him only a white diaper (Japanese) cloth to cover himself and forced him to work on one of their airstrips in unbearable heat and no water to drink. He just passed away last year and my son is devastated at the loss since they competed together in SASS competition as grandfather and grandson. I know we all have the right of free speech but you should give some thought to honoring our military, police officers and firemen. If you were near me right now I’d slap you silly.
Thom (The Blue). Today’s strip didn’t work out as you had planned. The Bataan death march, what preceded and followed it were about as bad as human nature can get. The Japanese committed some horrible crimes in WWII. But that is the nature of war. I am glad you published this strip because it has obviously got people thinking, whatever your intentions were. There have been all too many death marches over the centuries committed by no particular culture but by a ruthlessness that seems to pervade across our species.
I do business with a Japanese company. It’s amazing how war destroys humanity. We are friends now. The owner of the company and his wife visited me here in the Rockies where I live.They are good people. My point is that no one should be held responsible for the horrors their parents and those before them have committed. If we can’t forgive there is no hope.
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” -Martin Luther King, Jr
I found this strip very offense and demeaning to those who were on that death march.you should publicly apologize to the families and memoirs of both the deceased and the survivors
The bataan death march never was never will be funny in any context. This was and is an insult to the survivors and to those that died. Shame on you of the most intense type.
Llewellenbruce almost 12 years ago
This is in pretty poor taste considering whatreally did happen in WWII.
Pharmakeus Ubik almost 12 years ago
War is in bad taste. Unfortunately the mavens haven’t laid down the law.
WoodEye almost 12 years ago
I agree, bad call Thom.
caller49 almost 12 years ago
Sorry, not a good one this.
C.RAPPER almost 12 years ago
The above strip is a perfect match for the strip’s name.Obviously Thom is not a student of history.
el8 almost 12 years ago
Regardless of the hisses and boos, Thom, having proudly defended your right to be as perverse as you are, I feel affirmed when you and others dare to publish such. Hell, I even laughed…which goes to show how perverse I can be.
el8 almost 12 years ago
I’ll admit to being disturbed knowing my own history as well as being an avid student of history. My family (by marriage) is Pinoy. Apologies? I have none. Respect? I have much. Disrespect? I have experienced that as a Vietnam veteran and a policeman. Censorship? I will not condone. Humor? An entertainment not always for the squeamish; humorous is not always funny.
Anyone is welcome to piss on my grave.Mostly Water Premium Member almost 12 years ago
They went through hell: http://www.army.mil/asianpacificsoldiers/history/bataan.html
rini1946 almost 12 years ago
I like to cross the line but this is too far. sorry you lose all your atta boys and then some
Bob. almost 12 years ago
My home town tank battalion was sent there just before Pearl Harbor. One or two were killed in the fighting. One died on the march. Over sixty died in the camps and on prison ships to Japan. Look up the “Janesville 99”
Larry Miller Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Irony? → The road I most often take to and from town to the area where my rural house is located (house isn’t on the highway) is designated as the Bataan Memorial Highway. Subaru’s US plant is located on this highway and I pass it going to and from town all the time. The signs for this are still up. I also drive a car made there
MontanaLady almost 12 years ago
Could be Thom’s take on this was with respect…………This was done in Black and White.
It made me look up the Death March, and I found that there is a commemorative Bataan Death March at the White Sands Missile Range each year………26 miles as well as 14 miles.
With respect, I honor all who had to partake of this March!
Andylit Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Bad, bad, bad idea. Incredibly poor taste, grossly disrespectful of the men who died and suffered in the hell of the death march.
What’s next? Hamsters in Auschwitz?
Yes Thom, it was that bad. There are some places you simply do not go.
jimtrudeau almost 12 years ago
Thom,
While I can appreciate your twisted sense of humor, I also feel that this badly crossed the poor taste line. What those soldiers had to go through, with many being tortured and killed, is not an appropriate story line for a cartoon. I agree with “andylit” that this was some place that you simply shouldn’t have gone.
Constance Hecht almost 12 years ago
Not at all funny. Too far!!!
SCHNOBBLE almost 12 years ago
You have the right to publish trash like this.I have the right to stop reading your strip. I am an American who knows history, this is a shame.
Paul Rider Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Not funny.At.All.
thombluemel Premium Member almost 12 years ago
To All,
I’m very, very sorry for offending anyone with this cartoon – THAT WAS NEVER MY INTENT. Nor was it my intent to belittle the tragedy of Bataan in any way nor the bravery of those who were there and suffered.
Unfortunately, too many have taken the intent of today’s cartoon the wrong way. This cartoon was meant to be a parody of the “March of the Penguins,” which was a documentary (albeit sanguine documentary) about penguins marching to reporduce. Because I thought that documentary was so overdramatized, I chose to make an overdramatized cartoon about it – NOT ABOUT BATAAN.
My father fought in the South Pacific in WWII – I have the greatest respect and admiration for all who fought in that war – and all the others as well, It is NEVER my intent to make light of any such sacrifices.
I hope you will accept my apology for what was evidently one of my greatest strikeouts yet. Hey, I never promised you perfection, but I will try to be more sensitive to other interpretations – to the best of my ability.
I hope you all understand.
And thanks for reading this tasteless cartoon,
Thom
TheAuldWan almost 12 years ago
Sorry Thom.., I was there. Of my unit of 502 men I was one of 8 that came back home.
Imacyn almost 12 years ago
I am outraged at this strip. My father – in – law was in the Bataan Death March and was a prisoner of war for 5 years. When he came home he weighed only 89 lbs and he was in a military hospital for nearly a whole year. He told how he was forced to hold his best friend in his arms while they pulled out his friend’s fingernails trying to get my father – in – law to give them information. He was the oldest enlisted man left in their group as a Master Sargent at the age of 17. He lied about his age to get into the service to begin with. He told how they gave him only a white diaper (Japanese) cloth to cover himself and forced him to work on one of their airstrips in unbearable heat and no water to drink. He just passed away last year and my son is devastated at the loss since they competed together in SASS competition as grandfather and grandson. I know we all have the right of free speech but you should give some thought to honoring our military, police officers and firemen. If you were near me right now I’d slap you silly.
jack fairbanks almost 12 years ago
t’aint funny mcgee. oh how self righteous we can be, but it ain’t funny.
Mostly Water Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Thom (The Blue). Today’s strip didn’t work out as you had planned. The Bataan death march, what preceded and followed it were about as bad as human nature can get. The Japanese committed some horrible crimes in WWII. But that is the nature of war. I am glad you published this strip because it has obviously got people thinking, whatever your intentions were. There have been all too many death marches over the centuries committed by no particular culture but by a ruthlessness that seems to pervade across our species.
I do business with a Japanese company. It’s amazing how war destroys humanity. We are friends now. The owner of the company and his wife visited me here in the Rockies where I live.They are good people. My point is that no one should be held responsible for the horrors their parents and those before them have committed. If we can’t forgive there is no hope.
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” -Martin Luther King, Jr
Celarius Premium Member almost 12 years ago
I found this strip very offense and demeaning to those who were on that death march.you should publicly apologize to the families and memoirs of both the deceased and the survivors
soledadbianca almost 12 years ago
It’s a cartoon people. Sometimes gives perspective to things which cannot be given any perspective otherwise. I like your humor Thom. Always have.
kwanza_30303 almost 12 years ago
Bad bad bad. Thom goofed big time.
Charles La Velle almost 12 years ago
The bataan death march never was never will be funny in any context. This was and is an insult to the survivors and to those that died. Shame on you of the most intense type.