This cartoon is drawn by Becky Hawkins, who writes:
I chose to draw this cartoon because the image of a “centrist” listing all of the concessions that leftists should make in order for conservatives to begin to engage in basic effing self-preservation with regard to climate change… well, it resonated with me. It was refreshing to draw someone screaming in frustration in panel four.
Cartoons like this are often set in a cafe, park, bus stop, or home, anywhere that two people might discuss current events. As I mentally flipped through those options, I remembered a fun, relatively deep conversation with a stranger a couple of summers ago. Being in Portland, Oregon, this happened at a patio with food stalls, picnic tables, and fire pits. I thought that would be fun to draw, and it was.
A lot of food trucks have punny names. I chose “Holy Crêpe” for the name of the cart, and turned to my partner Naomi, a born-and-bred punster, for help with the Daily Specials. I originally thought the menu names might be heaven-related (putting the “Holy” in “Holy Crêpe”), so you can just see “The Destiel – a heavenly crêpe topped with… ” listed as a sweet crêpe in the background. (All I know about Destiel is that it’s a portmanteau of the names of two characters from the TV show Supernatural, one of whom is an angel, that a lot of fans wanted to become a couple. I guess it came to mind because a friend of mine explained that to me recently. Hi Nathan. I feel a little silly typing all this out.)
Barry here.
This cartoon was inspired by a general tendency, among media “centrists,” to assign all responsibility for compromise to the left. But the specific article that galvanized me to write it was this one by Simon Glynn in Persuasion, which is a perfect example of the genre.
This was the last cartoon I posted on Patreon in 2024. I think I actually posted four new cartoons every month in 2024! That may not seem like a big deal, but given how I’ve struggled with my productivity over the years, it feels like an achievement to me.
TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON
This cartoon has four panels. They all show a little seating area in a food cart pod (basically an outdoor food court), where two people – a man in a blue sweater and a van dyke beard, and a woman in a green cardigan and a red skirt – are talking as they enjoy their drinks.
PANEL 1
BLUE: As a centrist, I think we need compromise on climate change. The left can’t fix it by itself!
PANEL 2
BLUE: The left needs to be less didactic and more open-minded and willing to make compromises.
GREEN: And what compromises should the right make?
PANEL 3
Blue makes “air quotes” with his fingers, while Green leans forward, hand rubbing her chin.
BLUE: For instance, the left should stop saying we need to pay attention to “social justice” when we design climate policies.
GREEN: And what compromises should the right make?
PANEL 4
Blue smiles, pleased with his conclusion. Green stands up and yells, her arms in the air.
BLUE: And the left needs to accept less regulation. And stop all the alarmism.
GREEN (angry): And what compromises should the right make?
CHICKEN FAT WATCH
The chicken fat here is in the “Holy Crepe” special of the day board on one of the food carts in the background. In panel one, it says “Today’s Special: American’s Apricot Talent.” In panel two, it says “Today’s Special: Nutella Mockingbird.” In panel three, it says “Today’s Special: Between a Guac and a Chard Place.” And in panel four, it says “Today’s Special: A Cream Deferred (vegan).”
A compromise would be the right agreeing to reduce greenhouse emissions to some extent but democrats are in no position to ask for any compromise whatsoever at least until midterm congressional elections.
Instead the global warming issue might be solved as far as USA is concerned by waging a conventional war against its former allies to grab land of Canada/Greenland.