All of you out there likely don’t fully appreciate the lengths we journalists go to in order to bring America’s Political Conventions home to your living rooms. You sit there in your easy chairs and soak in the information briefly, change channels or flip the page to the crossword puzzle, all the while assuming this political coverage is something that just happens by magic with no effort whatsoever.
Let me tell you, I’d sure like to be in that easy chair right now and if I was I’d change channels to make sure I don’t miss “Jake and the Fat Man” which is on in about 17 minutes. But I can’t be there, can’t enjoy the freedoms you take for granted.
Like our brave boys in Iraq on a second tour of duty, I am myself on my second tour – this time to the Republicans Convention. The Democrat Convention was hell on earth and now I’ve been called up for service again. I don’t complain, don’t whine – I simply do my job. That’s how I was trained.
And don’t think I look down on you as you revel in your cushy existence, free from horrible hotels that came at a discount rate and because your’re traveling for work and the “Big Cheeses” in the head office are paying the bills you have no control over where you stay and you want to go home. No, when I think of you enjoying life as I once did but can now hardly remember, I am proud. Because I’m fighting the war of politics here so you don’t have to fight it at home. My service as media watchdog allows you to safely check out and move on to the business of your life – television programs et al.
Thus is a cause greater than myself, a higher purpose. For that reason I hold no grudge that you can come and go from your kitchens at ease, warming pizza rolls in your microwaves whenever “The Hungries” hit. That Freedom is in fact why I am doing this, and even your obliviousness to the sacrifices I and others in the press are making is something I don’t disdain but which makes me feel proud.
Because above all a Cartoonist is selfless. Selfless in his defense of Liberty with at capital “L.”
Don’t worry about me – I’ll be fine. Tell those waiting that I’ll be home soon, when my job is done. That’s a way to explain it so the children understand. I wish this were a more perfect world, but it isn’t. Kiss yourselves goodnight for me and keep a light on in your hearts. Tie a yellow ribbon around everything in sight – I’ll appreciate it when I return. Sometimes small symbols mean the most. God Bless.
