Shortpacked! by David Willis

Discussion (18) ¬

1. 
   Wackd

   September 9, 2010 at 2:34 am | # | Reply

   I still don’t get why this and the other park-bench strip got halfway-double posted…
2. 
   Cormac

   December 10, 2010 at 10:48 pm | # | Reply

   People always assume conservatives to be prejudiced…Rush Limbaugh invited Elton John to his wedding. Ted Nugent is a spokesman for Pink Pistols. …and I’m starting to get the feeling that Ann Coulter is actually gay…
   I know she’s a spokeswoman for GOProud

   • 
     Cythrosi

     January 2, 2011 at 12:04 am | # | Reply

     Pretty sure it has something to do with a large number of them insisting on ensuring gays are still excluded from actually being treated equally under the law, the regular vilification of the GLBT community, and in some cases, the advocacy of the death/eternal suffering of those in the GLBT community. Until we can see a larger number of those from the right denouncing or dismissing these people for indeed being prejudiced, prejudice and bigotry is an image that’s going to stick with the conservatives in our eyes.

     • 
       Despite Rage

       May 25, 2011 at 5:40 pm | # | Reply

       You hate bigots so much you are one?

       What equality do you want? Gay marriage? If the Left would get off the damn fence that would have already happened. One of the few areas that I wish Obama would make a full-court press and he’s ridiculously silent…

       As for me, I’m more conservative than not, but show me someone who deserves denouncing for racism, sexism or hating gays and I’ll be onboard. More often than not, the only things I’ve seen are Left-wingers taking comments WAY beyond their boundaries to score points by tarring a conservative. I’m not going to denounce somebody just because they made a comment about President Obama playing basketball when he should be doing something else (This isn’t a very good example because it was Trump. I’ll freely admit he’s a self-aggrandizing jerk, but please allow me to focus on this specific example aside from who the speaker actually was). I can’t say that conservatives don’t have far too many haters, but I think the haters are getting pushed into all the empty closets that the gays are finally vacating.

       Finally, one last rant… How would you like the Right to denounce racism, sexism and gay-bashing? Should we stage a march, sign a petition or only support politicians that denounce those things and maybe make them sign a pledge? If we did any of those things, in addition to being way too late to the party, NOBODY WOULD BELIEVE IT! The Left would assume that it was only a publicity move, the far Left would assume that it was proof that we actually were haters, the Middle would be discouraged by the press, the Right would be offended that they have to prove that they aren’t horrible people (which people shouldn’t have to do regardless), and the few truly horrible people would probably duck under the noise and play along. It’s all well and fine to say that the Right should do something, but as a practical reality there is no damn way for the Right to change the perception that is rigorously supported by people who want it to be true.

       • 
         R.J.

         June 4, 2011 at 6:47 pm | # | Reply

         I’m sorry, but most of your comment is way off. You had no right to call that other commenter bigot. That commenter was just telling the truth. The Republican party has turned itself into the anti-gay party. Nearly every anti-gay legislation entered into congress is done by republican politicians and voted on by republican citizens. I’m not saying all conservatives hate gays. (I have very conservative friends and I’m flaming, so they must like queers.) But, most of the big name republican politicians are anti-gay and when people are surveyed, republicans always come out as more anti-gay than moderates or democrats. This isn’t an insult, just a fact.

         I personally believe that most people who vote against pro-gay rights issues don’t really hate gays. They are just scared of the changing times or things they don’t understand. There are the very few who do truly hate gays. The haters lie to the others and get them to believe that gay marriage will lead to people marrying goats and children watching porn in elementary school. Then people get scared and vote out of fear, not hate.

         I do agree that democratic politicians need to do more and stop pussyfooting around. Too many of them are comfortable on the fence, because they know LGBTs are more likely to vote on the left, because voting on the right is almost always a worst choice. Even though I am on the left, I don’t think a gay person should vote democratic just because the democratic party is slightly more supportive. That person should vote for who they believe in, and hopefully, whoever they vote for believes in equality.

         Also, if the right stood up for equality, no one would ignore that. Many people, like me, would be ecstatic and welcoming. Actually, I think that would be most people’s reaction. It would be a great thing. A few republican politicians have supported gay rights and they were celebrated by the citizens on the left and the right. So, YES, the conservatives “should stage a march, sign a petition and support politicians that denounce those things and maybe make them sign a pledge.” Because, thousands of people’s lives depend on it, millions would be happy to see it happen, and obviously, its the right thing to do.

         • 
           Despite Rage

           July 7, 2011 at 6:43 pm | # | Reply

           First, I have every right to say whatever I want but I’m willing to believe that you meant that I don’t have call or reason to say that. Second, I’m sorry if I offended anybody with the word bigot. I meant it as a joke where I was gently chiding about a preconception that many people share. I didn’t mean to be truly offensive. I was copying a line that a comedienne, Brett Butler used. She was talking about growing up in the South surrounded by racists and that she “hates bigots so much she turned into one”. I probably could have done a better job expressing that. Third, if you really want to quibble the OP is expressing a belief that certain people have to prove that they are not a certain way before the OP is willing to change their mind. That’s a preconceived idea about a group, and since we’re talking about a negative belief I’m pretty sure that’s bigotry. It’s just a politically acceptable form of it. In a perfect world nobody should assume that group of people X all share negative trait Y and that they must prove that they don’t to be considered an exception.
           In reality, it works more like this
           Considered freaking horrible (and I firmly agree)
           Blacks = criminals, Gays = deviants, Women = bad drivers
           Considered okay
           Conservatives = stuck in the 50′s, Republicans = gun toting ignorant rednecks, Catholics = pedophiles

           In general I agree that the Right has way too many anti-gay, racist and misogynist members and politicians. I even alluded to that in my first post. I also said that I thought they were getting pushed out and marginalized, although I’m not that optimistic today because I’ve been listening to some disgraceful coverage of a gay student that got murdered (I’m in a bad mood at the moment). But, there is a big difference between saying that and implying that everybody on the right is a racist/gay-bashing/woman-hating neanderthal unless they prove otherwise. You yourself took a pretty balanced approach when you were describing Conservatives (nothing I can disagree with there, we do have way too much anti-gay BS on the right), and even a forgiving view of the people that vote against gay rights (possibly even more forgiving that I would be). You also made it pretty clear that not everybody on the Right feels the same way. That’s a good way to approach the world and I applaud you. IMO there isn’t nearly enough of that from the Right or the Left.

           Finally, I wanted to say that I think you’re wrong about the Right taking a strong stance for equality, but I wish you weren’t. Individual politicians can take that view, some have and I think it’s helped. Others get blasted by a biased media, called liars and it’s pretty much assumed that those politicians are just trying to get votes (the media’s reaction to Bush’s attempt to pass immigration reform comes to mind). The more Republicans that are involved the greater the opportunity for the media to make up motivations for them, and it doesn’t matter if they really felt that way or not. Quite simply, I think part of the reason the Right is stuck on the wrong side of so many issues is because they’re kept there by what people are already convinced the entire Republican Party stands for. It’s expecting way too much to ask a politician to take a stand outside the expected when they know they will get hammered by the opposition and they might get hammered by their own side (even if we didn’t have too many racists, nobody likes a panderer and the media is telling us that somebody is pandering for votes… therefore we no longer like that politician QED). A few brave souls will take that chance, but it can’t be many.

           • 
             molochmachine

             December 16, 2011 at 9:11 am | # | Reply

             “I’m not saying that all Republicans are racist sexist homophobes, just the people they choose to elect into office to represent them, are.” –David Cross
   • 
     thomas0comer

     November 22, 2011 at 3:31 pm | # | Reply

     No, cheesedammit! YOU MENTIONED POLITICS! HISSSSSSSSSSSSS *runs away*
3. 
   The Guy

   January 6, 2011 at 12:21 am | # | Reply

   Reagan is totally cosplaying Phoenix Wright in this comic.

   • 
     No0ne

     March 29, 2011 at 10:28 pm | # | Reply

     You have it backwards Phoenix Wright cosplays Reagan!

     • 
       minespatch

       April 26, 2011 at 6:48 pm | # | Reply

       In Russia Video game character cosplay you!

       Haw haw haw!
     • 
       Echoloco

       May 1, 2011 at 11:51 pm | # | Reply

       Objection!
4. 
   phildog

   July 17, 2011 at 3:52 pm | # | Reply

   What the fuck is he talking about? “There are no barriers to progress except the ones we errect ourselves”? BULLSHIT. There are plenty. There are economical barriers. Caste barriers. Social barriers. Geographic barriers. Biological barriers. Knowledge barriers. Time barriers.

   The chances one has in life of gaining happiness are always in the hands of circumstance. People who don’t realize this should take a step the fuck back and look at all the great things they’ve been given. Free education. Literacy. A home, and an allowance. Constitutionally protected speech. Living in a free country. God fucking damn, being alive and healthy even. Jesus Christ, learn to appreciate what you have.

   • 
     Jarnor

     January 2, 2012 at 10:05 pm | # | Reply

     And when you let yourself play the “victim” in your mind you fall into the trap of everything negative you have.

     Are there obstacles to overcome in life? Sure. The first is to take responsibility for your own actions and path in life.

     • 
       M

       January 31, 2012 at 6:35 pm | # | Reply

       Well said sir. Well said.
   • 
     John

     March 19, 2013 at 5:16 am | # | Reply

     That’s an actual Reagan quote, incidentally.
5. 
   Portmaneau

   December 1, 2012 at 8:55 pm | # | Reply

   How can you not smile when you see Ronnie’s face?
6. 
   MarkReed

   December 24, 2012 at 2:27 pm | # | Reply

   The moment Roz left, Reagan came back.

   Now, which of them is the secret identity of the other…