For the past few days, I’ve wanted desperately to be more a part of this intense international debate that’s been raging on the limits of free speech in a world of religious extremism. My first impulse was to draw a really harmless image of Mohammed rescuing an adorable, furry little kitten from a tree. (I found the thought that I could get my head chopped off for something so Norman Rockwell-like kind of perversely intriguing.) Fortunately, I had the good sense not to put pencil to paper. I did, however, keep thinking of ways that I could get more engaged in the evlving conversation. As a “professional cartoonist,” I thought that it was my duty.
So, after a lot of soul-searching, I’ve decided to take a slightly less risky, although, I believe, still very courageous stand. I have decided to cast caution to the wind, put pen to paper, and render the image of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. I’m not sure what kind of repercussions may arise from this heroic action, but I am ready to face them bravely… Thank you for your support and understanding.
17 Comments
Beck’s comin’ for your ass.
… and the ass of the man responsible for
this image
You can’t fool me. I know Charles Nelson Reilly when I see him.
http://www.aspipes.org/images/famous/reilly.jpg
I think it would be a more powerful image if he was in bed with a thetan.
Great idea, Brett, but I don’t know how to draw a Thetan and there’s not much information available online… It’s my understanding that you don’t even hear about the Thetans until you reach the level of OT III (Operating Thetan level 3), which is a pretty pricey undertaking… I guess I could just show it as a lump beneath a sheet though.
“Is that a Thetan in your pants, or are you just glad to see me?”
Schutzman- or Tom Cruise. Yeah! Hey Mark can I commission this cartoon?
Rumor has it that the reason Tom Cruise is so gung-scientology-ho is because they have footage of him in bed with L. Ron’s son.
Cartoon committions run anywhere from $10 to $100… It depends on how long I have to sit at the bar to finish. And, yes, I would gladly accept this one, Chris.
(note: I will not, for any price, depict the Prophet Mohammed… or, for that matter, anyone with a beard, in my work. To do so would be inexcusable. )
One time, at a bar in downtown Athens, GA, there was this guy that drew a picture of a bulldawg on a cocktail napkin. He had two hooks instead of hands and drew the picture by sticking the pen in his mouth. He told me his story and said he lost his hands when he was a kid when he threw a rope up onto a power line. He was a pretty upbeat guy and I gave him five bucks for his picture.
Do you still have the drawing, Ken? If so, send it to me and I’ll post it.
…And you aren’t suggesting that I have my hands removed, are you?
This is an acceptable proposition. However, can I have my money back if Tom Cruise does not look like Tom Cruise? And no, you can’t draw Tom being taken from behind unless he is looking over his shoulder.
So I guess this means that the commission will now be closer to $100.
C’mon, have some balls! Can you at least change the caption to “Go back to bed!”?
Here’s L. Ron Hubbard Jr talking about his childhood in a 1983 interview:
http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/scien240.html
Mark, if I was you, I could just go to my file cabinet and pull it out! I looked in the two places that it might be and I couldn’t find it. I am thinking that I sent it to someone in a letter. There is a pretty good chance Dave has it. Let me know if you do, Dave!
It is alleged that Hubbard was working with Crowley in the above pursuits and that the same pursuit is likely to have moved into the laboratory and is potentially being funded and persued still.
OK, let’s start a new contest for the most provocative Scientology cartoon and see what happens… I’ll draft up a press release.
(Ken, can you get a message to your friend without hands? I’d like for him to enter.)
You are a braver man than I thought, Mr. Maynard.
Word is that Beck got this drawing of mine as a tattoo.