La Cucaracha by Lalo Alcaraz for October 01, 2014

Devious plotting, indeed…

I Googled chancel yesterday just to understand what was what.

Does nobody remember that Lalo did a Sunday strip on a horror movie called “Chancla” just a few months ago?I googled videos and it really is horrifying (and hilarious).

Huaraches are heavy duty with a lot of leather. Closer to a shoe than a sandal. Back in the day they made them with soles made from tires. Those were mostly for export to us gabachos. You could buy them in TJ for cheap so they were pretty popular.

urbandictionary.com

If you have to explain a joke, it really isn’t a joke.

Or maybe some people just don’t get the joke, while others do. Happens all the time. Especially when it’s in reference to a word most readers might not know. So hey, some folks got a little free education thrown in with their comic strip today. Bonus!

But the bigger takeaway here is that now the rest of us know that Latina mothers universally use the sandals for physical abuse on their children.

How is this a universal takeaway? Sounds like you’re once again stretching for something—anything—to turn into a criticism.

And the fact that he brings it up more than once almost says he’s proud of it.

Or it means that it has cultural currency and is thus fodder for humor.

most caring parents would rather not air their dirty laundry in public

Not sure where this comment is coming from.

What is needed is an open mind with a well used sense of humor. If we can’t laugh at some things we could go crazy.years ago I read a book by Sam Levinson who wrote a book about Jewish mothers.He made them sound cold and uncaring, but in such a way that you Know he would do anything for his yiddishe mama.I hope I spelled that right.Levinson was a humorist and it was a wonderful book.

Some of the commenters have loosened up a little. It’s good to see that some folks do se their sense of humor and just enjoy the comic.

Sorry – it isn’t a joke if people have to Google while you wait for a laugh.

It might not be a joke that you initially got, but to those of us who knew the reference, it is most definitely a joke. Or are you now the arbiter of all that is humorous and not humorous in the world?

Tell me, what could POSSIBLY be funny about “terrifying childhood discipline?”

There is hilarious comedy about all sorts of stuff that’s horrendous in real life. Take a large portion of Monty Python’s sketches and movies, for instance. Or Saturday Night Live, or Pearls before Swine, or untold legions of standup comics’ material. Heck, Eddie Murphy has a classic bit on his mother’s weaponized shoes, that you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7TBHQl81XE (beware fresh language). Even mild-mannered Bill Cosby has a bit where a father says to his son: “Son, I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.” Not to mention his pieces where he jokes about murderous subway rampages, karate experts rearranging their foes’ limbs, etc. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the entire Loony Toons oeuvre.

In fact, there are scholarly assertions that comedy exists to help take the sting out of things like death, disease, and general suffering. I imagine you’ve heard the saying, “If I didn’t laugh, I’d have to cry”? That’s what it’s getting at.

So no, this is nowhere near a faux pas. You may have decided it’s objectionable to you, which is of course your right. But there are a whole host of other folks, me included, (and all of whom you’ve decided to paint with the “slavish” brush—talk about offensive!) who fundamentally disagree with you on this. Heck, even your buddy dzw seems to like these strips.

Okay, so Agrestic is defending child abuse and even defends joking about it.

Why are you resorting to libel and slander, indie? Please point out where I defend child abuse. I do defend joking about hard subjects. Because out of that often comes new perspectives, and even healing. Serious question: are you reacting this way because you yourself experienced physical abuse as a child?

You are correct: slander is oral. So you just engaged in libelous behavior. I did not in my post anywhere “defend child abuse.” You have once again gone over the edge into hysteria when someone (me) has reasonably challenged you.

The reason I asked that admittedly personal question is that you seemed to react very emotionally to the subject, and I wanted to make sure to treat you with extra sensitivity if that was indeed the case.

As to your self-appointed critic’s role: anyone who wishes to put on that mantle must expect that they are subject to criticism in return—you and me included. And talk about freaking out! Methinks you once again are reading your own state of mind into what others say. But since you don’t like either my critiques of your posts or my more light-hearted comments about tattoos or whatever else I feel like posting, maybe you can educate me as to what a good and proper post should be? You know, other than just congratulating you on your stunning perspicacity regarding all things ever.

PS: I’m neither a Korean make of car, nor someone killed in action, nor a Marvel supervillain. Ohhhh, you mean know-it-all! Well, I’m either not one of those or the kids in my school really liked those kind of people. How about you? Lots of school friends?