Don't mess with the Catholics

So check this out dawg... Bishop Robert Morlino of the Madison Archdiocese, has been sued by a firm he hired to conduct a survey. According to the lawsuit, Phoenix Fundraising counsel was hired to conduct a confidential survey of priests and parishioners, to gage the possibility of raising $70 million to replace the cathedral in the Diocese that was destroyed by fire. But the Bishop refused to pay the firm the agreed upon fee of $350,000, because the Phoenix group refused to disclose the names of folks who participated in the CONFIDENTIAL survey. Apparently the bishop didn't like the results.

Here is the cartoon:




I thought this cartoon was pretty tame, and in no way as good and harsh as another idea which involved a reference to the inquisition, but apparently I'm now decidedly anti-catholic according to several Wisconsin State Journal letter writers. Morlino apparently is above criticism that one might bestow on a regular public figure.

Here is a sketch of the killed cartoon I wanted to do.



And here is a quote from my favorite letter:

In promoting slander and unproven conjecture, Hands' cartoon exposes a current of anti-Catholicism that lies under the guise of "opinion" and editorial writing. The State Journal would do well to return to objective truth and journalistic standards rather than print what borders on libel.

Come to think of it, catholics are particularly sensitive to being depicting in editorial cartoons, let alone criticized in them. I did a cartoon several weeks with a nun in it, and received several letters denouncing the cartoon, despite the fact that the nun was taking my own editorial viewpoint and criticizing Wisconsin's stupid legislators.

Here is that cartoon.






Oh, and here is the cartoon I wanted to do.