An event at the Buffalo Museum of History, which was to feature cartoonist Adam Zyglis, was postponed after one of his cartoons, published on 7 July, prompted criticism of the author and The Buffalo Newspaper Guild that led to credible threats to the cartoonist and his family, including death threats, from supporters and sympathisers of the MAGA movement.
The museum and the newspaper decided to postpone the event in the face of serious public safety concerns and direct threats that have warranted the intervention of the Buffalo police.
The cartoon shows a man wearing a"Make America Great Again" cap being swept away by the floodwaters in Texas on 4 July with a sign that reads:"HELP". Also swept away by the current, a sandwich board reads:"GOV'T is the problem not the solution".
The cartoon received local and national criticism. The Erie County Republican legislature criticised both the cartoon and the fact that the museum receives taxpayer funding. The event, now postponed, was the closing event for an exhibition entitled"Ink & Insight: 20 years of Adam Zyglis Cartoons" that looks back at two decades of Zyglis' work for the Buffalo News and in national syndication.
Different collectives expressed their support for the cartoonist through communiqués.
The CPJ, the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent, non-profit organisation that promotes press freedom around the world, put it this way.
"CPJ is alarmed by reports of death threats against Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Adam Zyglis following the publication of an editorial cartoon in the New York daily The Buffalo News. These threats of violence mark a chilling attempt to silence critical commentary, and the authorities must ensure Zyglis' safety so that he can continue to do his work without fear of reprisal."
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) also expressed solidarity with the cartoonist and condemned the death threats.
The Society of Professional Journalists fully supports cartoonist Adam Zyglis, this year's recipient of the Sigma Delta Chi Award for editorial cartooning, and strongly condemns the threats of violence against him and his family following the recent publication of one of his cartoons in The Buffalo News. The SDX Awards recognise the best in professional journalism in print, online, audio, television and other categories.
The Zyglis cartoon that prompted the recent threats comments on the tragic floods in Texas and the essential role of government during disasters. The cartoon is in the long and respected tradition of editorial cartooning: to provoke thought, encourage debate and challenge power through visual commentary. People are free to disagree with that point of view. What they are not free to do is threaten violence in response.
The Buffalo Newspaper Guild and the Buffalo Museum of History made a decision to postpone a public event Thursday night to celebrate local journalism because of credible threats to Zyglis' safety. The event, "Drawing Support for Local Journalism," was to launch the Guild's Protect Local Journalism campaign at a museum showcasing Zyglis' work. This is more than a disruption: it is an attack on the values of free speech, civil discourse and community support for the press.
"SPJ supports Zyglis, the Guild and all journalists working under threat simply for doing their jobs," said SPJ President Emily Bloch. "We call on law enforcement to take these threats seriously, and we call on the public to support the right of journalists, including opinion journalists, to publish without fear."
The role of editorial cartoonists and opinion journalists is too often misunderstood. These creations not only entertain, they challenge, provoke and provoke a necessary dialogue.
"Threats to me and my family are never an acceptable response to disagreement with an editorial cartoon," Zyglis, who is also a Pulitzer Prize winner, wrote in a social media post."Threats of violence have no place in a democracy that supports free speech and the First Amendment."
As former Buffalo News editor Margaret Sullivan wrote, there are many reasonable responses to a cartoon with which someone disagrees: write to the reporter, discuss it with others, or post a comment on social media. What happened instead was a wave of outrage fuelled by media figures and partisan politicians, followed by death threats and the need for law enforcement and private security.
"The First Amendment protects the right of journalists to tell the truth, offer commentary and challenge those in power," said SPJ executive director Caroline Hendrie. "When threats and harassment are used to silence a journalist like Zyglis, it is not just an attack on a voice, it is an attack on press freedom itself."
The American Association of Editorial Artists issued a strong statement in support of Zyglis, condemning the threats and making a courageous plea for freedom of the press and free speech.
The American Association of Editorial Cartoonists(AAEC) expresses its support for political cartoonist Adam Zyglis and unequivocally condemns the threats of violence against him and his family following the publication by the Buffalo News of an editorial cartoon drawn by him. Zyglis is a Pulitzer Prize-winning artist and received this year's Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for his editorial cartoons, as well as the National Headliner Award. He is among the best political artists in our country.
The response of some last week to Zyglis' cartoon illustrating flood-related issues in Texas - expressing his opinion regarding MAGA rhetoric about the role of government - caused the cancellation of an event sponsored by the Buffalo Newspaper Guild and the Buffalo History Museum as a result of"credible threats" to his and his family's safety. The tragic irony is that the event was planned as part of an effort to"Protect Local Journalism". His cartoon was fair and effectively conveyed an important message. This is the proper and important role of political art in a democratic society. The AAEC also congratulates the Buffalo News for its support of Adam and its commitment to the importance of an independent and free press.
Journalism in all its forms is now under attack by a political party that is not afraid to threaten both violence and the elimination of constitutional rights. With the acts of political violence of the past two years, including the murder of a legislator in Minnesota in June, the threats must be taken seriously: "These death threats are a direct result of the licence granted to those who want to change America itself by erasing the First Amendment," said AAEC president Marc Murphy, also a former prosecutor and now a law professor. "Adam is one of the best. He will continue to draw. But threats like this also send a dangerous message to others who want to express themselves, as is their right. I call on our elected representatives and the courts to ensure that the criminal law is applied in this case and that the Constitution and our right to free speech are upheld."
Humour in trouble, a collection of cases
Cases of cartoonists who have had problems of some importance because of their cartoons or satirical illustrations. There are also some stories of other people who, without being cartoonists, have got into trouble for sharing them.
