Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich for March 15, 2011

A couple practicing role reversal.

Justifiable homicide shortly!

Hi folks, Lance here. I understand the March 9 panel created a lot of strong emotion and anger. I didn’t think anything we do creates strong emotion. Oh well. Anyway, the Democrat, Republican, Tea Party panel was meant to be a gentle poke at everybody. If you got offended, sorry. But one political comment every 3580 or so panels seems pretty tame to me. I’m sorry if you feel you can’t allow us that after 20 years of doing this. I hope those of you who have sworn us off will cool off and keep reading. Respectfully, Lance Aldrich

Be careful your newspaper is within reaching distance.

Lance you shouldn’t have to say your sorry for anything,Last I heard it is a free country…. You guys are the best!!!!!!!!! Vati

Lance,

Although I didn’t stop reading your comic and didn’t care about the Tea Party crack all that much, you should understand that your panel didn’t target “everybody,” you specifically insulted people who follow the tea party, who primarily believe in limited government and fiscal responsibility (despite what the media tells you the movement is about).

Imagine this panel: “Catholics and Protestants are like me and Sid next door, we aren’t really friendly, but we get along ok. And the Jews are like the crabby guy across the street who doesn’t like anybody and calls the police every time some kid steps on his lawn.” [imagine the latter in the context of Israel and the Palestinians.]

Do you see how Jews might get offended by the above? You did exactly the same thing to people who believe in Tea Party values, and it was just as unfair as the above. Quite honestly, your “apology” doesn’t strike me as very sincere, and I get the feeling that you don’t really get what the problem was and why people though it was unfair.

Like I said, I don’t care that much (people don’t think very deeply about politics – what else is new), but hopefully this gives you some insight.

keep rockin’ Lance

Lance, I thought it was great.

We’re all Americans, and as such we have the RIGHT to disagree about anything and everything. Sometimes our differences are truly minor, in the long run. Sometimes they’re major. Sometimes, we don’t even understand them ourselves.

Sometimes we can find common ground, and that’s when our form of government really kicks!

The founders of this country designed our government specifically so that we have a forum for disagreement and compromise and a way to work things out.

When we are ALL so stubborn that we can’t find that common ground, that’s when we ought to step back, look at ourselves objectively, and laugh at ourselves. Each of us, whether left, right, in between or other, need to recognize that we do all share the same basic values, and appreciate the same freedoms.

If we can’t recognize our own foibles, and acknowledge them, how can we face the rest of the world, and convince them that our form of government is not just valid, but the best?

OH, and as a namby pamby wishy washy middle of the roader, I’m hurt that you left us out.

Lance, no one reasonable was offended – reasonable people are capable of turning a sense of humor on themselves. And, it can be seen as a poke at the guy depicted, rather than at any political party or parties.

Nairebis, the Tea Party as a whole believes in bing the minority in control, rather than letting the majority make decisions that they then might have to abide by. Individuals within the party might believe as you stipulate, but that doesn’t make the group any better.

I, having learned to think for myself, do not affiliate myself with any one political party. While it may not always have been the case, the parties with any pull currently are about control, rather than issues; and I don’t want a political party to be in power, I’d rather have intelligent individuals making decisions based on information.

captainofgondor – well said.