Cartoon project 11 4

The ‘about us’ page Emily Duke: Emily is a journalism major in her third year at Utah State. She is the second of six kids and loves her family more than anything in the world. A self-proclaimed band geek Emily has played the trumpet for nine years and played in the marching band at her high school for four. Emily’s favorites include: sports team, seahawks; food, enchiladas; craft supply, glitter; date activity, baking cookies; daily activity, driving Logan crazy; and time of the year; football season. Emily’s life dream is to move to Seattle and cover the Seattle Seahawks and not be poor and homeless in the process.

Logan Jones: Logan is a journalism major in his second year at Utah State. He is the fourth of five kids and hails from Salem, Oregon. Logan was raised a die-hard Portland Trail Blazers, and Boston Red Sox fan, and don’t even get him started on the Seahawks or he won’t stop. Logan loves spaghetti and Netflix and staying in bed as long as possible. When he isn’t watching sports he can be found researching fantasy football stats or reading only exceptionally good books.

Logan loves the Oregon coast more than just about any other place on earth and wants to get out of Utah as soon as possible.

Landon Pozernick: Landon is a pre JCOM major, also in his second year at USU, and loves everything, particularly food, hiking, food, music, reading, food, taking pictures, and taking pictures of food. He’s currently really hungry. He’s an enthusiastic student who enjoys learning about everything from biology to psychology to physics to politics. He hopes to travel the world, and expose himself to as many cultures and perspectives as possible, as well as explore art in multiple and varied media. He loves being outdoors, especially in the summer, where his favorite activities include swimming and especially rock climbing. His favorite animal is the manatee, the most graceful of all animals.

Ashlyn Rogers: Hey, hi, hello, I’m Ashlyn. I was born and raised on the East Coast, but the mountains of Utah are my home now. I am studying Journalism and Communications with an emphasis in media design at Utah State University. I (kind of) know how to code with HTML and CSS, and I am currently learning JavaScript. One day I hope to design my own online thrift store, as I am an avid thrifter, but for now I’ll stick with designing magazines for my JCOM 2010 class.

ISIS and US Intel

ISIS Strategy

Sept. 29 http://www.cagle.com/2014/09/isis-and-us-intel/

Coding Sheet: Team Member name: Emily Publication: Date: Sept. 29, 2014 Cartoonist: Dave Granlund US/International Title of Cartoon: ISIS and US Intel Cartoon #: 1 Action/context analysis: In this cartoon the little US Intelligence guy is staring up at the big Isis dog and realizing that his little net probably isn’t going to be much help to him.

A week after the US started leading air strikes in Syria President Obama came out and said that United States Intelligence underestimated what was going on in Syria with Isis after their civil war happened. He said that because of the chaos occurring in the country it was easy for the terrorist group Isis to start to grow and become a bigger problem (Liptak).

According to an interview that Obama did with 60 Minutes both he and John Clapper, the head of US Intelligence services, “underestimated what had been taking place in Syria” during its civil war, allowing Syria to become “ground zero for jihadists around the world.”

In his interview with 60 Minutes Obama was quoted saying, “Well, I think our head of the intelligence community, Jim Clapper, has acknowledged that I think they underestimated what had been taking place in Syria.”

What “reality” is constructed/framed about your issue?

This cartoon is showing that Isis is a big deal and that the United States is not prepared to deal with it.

Stakeholders: U.S. troops on the ground; taxpayers; the U.S. government Foreground: most of the detail is in the foreground. The small truck has lots of detail but is small.

Backround: Active: ISIS, it portrays them as big and dominate and unbeatable.

Passive: US Intel, it makes them look small and inconsequential.

Unsympathetic: this cartoon is unsympathetic toward the US. It implies that we are in over our heads and ill prepared for the challenge of facing isis. It makes it look like the US went in thinking it would be a small problem but it ended up bigger than they thought.

Primary emotion: Embarrassment on the part of the US intel, and fear about how big and scary Isis is.

Which stakeholders are not included in the image?

Troops, local people, other nations involved, US as a whole What is the message of the image?

Isis is bigger than we thought and we are in over our heads a bit. Poor information gathering on the part of the United States.

Which biases, if any, are conveyed by this image?

The biases conveyed by this image are that Isis is bigger that the US Intelligence agency is useless. Something that people have been questioning for a while.

Analysis: This cartoon uses labeling to label a big scary dog as Isis and a dog catcher as US Intel. This also shows symbolism. The dog catcher vs stray dog idea points out that the US is working to clean up the mess of “stray dogs” or Isis followers since they came out and made themselves a threat. This symbolises that the artist thinks the job of intel is like a clean up crew and that they aren’t really doing their job very well. Exaggeration is used to show how big of a problem Isis really is in the form of a big exaggeratedly scary dog.

This cartoon makes the statement that US intel is not doing their job, with the context of it coming out right after the president said that they underestimated Isis the artist seems to be playing off of this to invoke fear of the Isis threat.

Sept. 10 http://www.cagle.com/2014/09/isis-strategy/

Coding Sheet: Team Member Name: Emily Publication: Arizona Daily Star Date: Sept. 10, 2014 Cartoonist: David Fitzsimmons U.S./International Title of cartoon: Isis’ Strategy Cartoon#: 2 Action/Context analysis: A member of Isis is beheading a prisoner and sending the tape to the U.S. to prove how powerful they are. The man says, they will lose their will to fight, but the giant eagle is scaring away all his backup is saying that the U.S. are only getting angrier.

Two American journalists were beheaded by Isis terrorists. After this happened the United States started to do air strikes in both Iraq and Syria. On Sept.

10 president Obama gave a speech to the American people outlining what his plan of attack would be for Isis. He stated in his speech, “If you threaten America you will find no safe haven.” He outlined that they would continue air strikes What “reality” is constructed/framed about your issue?

The biggest thing that this cartoon shows is that the U.S. will not back down.

It gives hope to U.S. citizens that the deaths of these Americans will not go unavenged. America will not be frightened away by the violence the way Isis assumed we would. We will fight.

Stakeholders: United States and Isis Foreground: The Artist put both the Isis terrorists and their victims in the foreground of the picture, making the eagle obviously bigger and more opposing.

Background: In the background you see sand dunes, and desert style landscape, indicating that America will take the fight to them.

Active: America Passive: Isis Sympathetic/Unsympathetic: The cartoon is unsympathetic to the Isis terrorists, obviously intending to make them feel small.

Primary Emotion: intimidation What stakeholders are not included in the image?

The people on the ground in the Middle East are not being represented. We see how Isis is terrorizing the United States but not really what is happening directly over there. We also don’t see President Obama directly despite the fact that the cartoon is referencing his speech.

What is the message of the image?

The overall message of the image is that the US is not going to back down. That we are strong and we want to be seen that way. The message is represented perfectly

by Obama’s quote in his interview with 60 minutes, ““If you threaten America you will find no safe haven.” We are bringing the fight to them.

Which biases, if any, are conveyed by this image?

This bias is obviously on the side of the United States. It’s obvious that the cartoonist wants the United States to win this war.

ISIS War

Allah Save the Queen

Coding Sheet: Team Member Name: Emily Publication: Investors Business Daily Date: Sept. 7, 2014 Cartoonist: Michael Ramirez U.S./International Title of cartoon: Allah Save the Queen Cartoon#: 14 Action/context analysis: In this cartoon British Prime Minister Davis Cameron, is making a speech from notes labeled, “Brits in Isis.” Behind him hangs a flag that reads, “Allah save the Queen.” He is saying out loud that there may be a problem with this situation.

On Sept. 4, the prime minister gave a speech to other leaders of NATO urging them not to pay ransoms for their kidnapped citizens stating that, “There is no doubt in my mind that the many tens of millions of dollars that ISIL has raised from ransom payments is going into promoting terrorism.” Cameron went on to say that it is not lack of sympathy on the matter that has caused his stance, but a hope to protect members of his country and others. He said, “What matters is not your signature on a declaration, but not letting money be paid to terrorist kidnappers because that money goes into arms, it goes into weapons, it goes into terror plots, it goes into more kidnaps.”

According to a report from CBS news DC on August 21, many european countries and private businesses are paying ransoms to Isis for the safe return of their citizens that are being captured and tortured abroad.

What “reality” is constructed/framed about your issue?

It is stating that by paying the ransoms to save their people’s lives the Brits are contributing to the problem and may as well be Isis themselves.

Stakeholders: Great Britain and Isis Foreground: The man giving the speech with his notes labeled “Brits in Isis”.

Background: British flags and the banner that says, “Allah save the Queen” as well as what looks like parliament chambers.

Active/Passive: This cartoon is pointing out that the British government has been passive about this issue for too long. And now that they are being active about it it’s a bit too late.

Sympathetic/Unsympathetic: This cartoon is completely unsympathetic to the Brits and the fact that they are trying to do their best.

Primary emotion: sarcasm Which stakeholders are not represented in this image? The people who are having the ransoms paid for them, as well as the actual Isis terrorists.

What is the message of the image? The image is saying that while the intentions of the Brits to save their people by paying the ransoms were good,negotiating with the terrorists only encouraged them and helped to fund their reign.

Which biases, if any, are conveyed by this image? There’s an obvious bias toward the opinion of not negotiating with terrorists. It is obvious through the speech bubble, “We may have a problem here” and the fact that God is replaced by Allah on the banner that the bias is against paying for the ransoms anymore and helping to fund the terrorists.

Analysis: The artist of this cartoon used exaggeration with his caricature of Cameron, enlarging his forehead, his nose and his chin. They also copied the expression that Cameron has in pictures from his speech while making it look silly and serious at the same time. The artist is using the labeling of the banner and the title of the notes to mock Cameron a little, stating that the speech was a little too late and the problem has already gotten to big and will cost to many lives. Though the Allah Save the Queen banner is an exaggeration and a joke, it brings up the serious issue that many countries paying these ransoms is just going to continue to fund this horrible war and these terrorist crimes. The artist uses irony with the banner by pointing out that the problem is already pretty big, but Cameron is only now pointing that out and probably should have a long time ago.

Coding Sheet: Team Member name: Landon Pozernick Publication: Hajjaj Brothers Creative Productions Date: October 15, 2014 Cartoonist: Osama Hajjaj International Title of Cartoon: ISIS War Cartoon #: 3 Action/Context Analysis: This cartoon depicts an F-16 fighter jet, clearly labeled with a “US”, dropping bombs toward a target, presumably ISIS. The bombs, however, are transforming into bubbles, bursting harmlessly before impact, implying that coalition airstrikes, represented by primarily American forces, are ineffective, and are doing no real damage to the target. This cartoon comes What “reality” is constructed/framed about your issue?

The “reality” constructed by this cartoon is that airstrikes against ISIS are ineffective. Whether or not the strikes are actually doing anything isn’t discussed in terms of fact or news reports, it is simply posited as such through a simple image.

This is one of the limitations of cartoons. They have to be kept simple and straightforward, while still being clever and opinionated, which doesn’t leave a lot of room for explanation or argument. In this case, the dearth of actual evidence leaves the question totally open to audience interpretation. The statement is clear, but the evidence is not.

Stakeholders: The primary stakeholders in this cartoon are ISIS, the US military and its leadership, and those being victimized by the undeterred Islamic State.

Background: The background is made up of clear blue sky, which, combined with the round, innocuous bubbles, belies the actual violent nature of an airstrike, trivializing the action, and creating a diminishing picture of foreign intervention (a single aircraft dropping bubbles), ultimately suggesting that the US and others are not taking the issue seriously, and need to step up their game.

Active: At first glance it would appear that the US plane is an active aggressor, but it’s difficult to define an aggressor without there being a victim, and with the incompetence of the airstrike depicted in the cartoon, there really isn’t a victim. That’s the point being made, that nothing is really happening, despite the air force efforts.

Passive: In a way, the passive party in this cartoon is the US. The plane’s target is specifically not depicted, showing a single plane alone in the air, dropping nothing at more nothing, entailing a campaign that is lost and directionless.

Sympathetic/Neutral/Unsympathetic: This cartoon is mostly unsympathetic, particularly regarding the US intervention effort, which is portrayed as small-scale and comically futile. On a secondary level, it is sympathetic towards local victims of ISIS, who are no better off with the “aid” they are receiving.

Primary emotion: The primary emotion elicited by this image is Frustration – frustration at the lack of organization in coalition efforts, at the lack of intel on ISIS, and most of all, at the fruitless airstrikes.

Which stakeholders are not included in the image?

The only party actually depicted in the image is the US, which is clearly labeled. In this way the cartoonist puts blame directly on America, without necessarily including the other countries involved. It also may indicate a view of the US as politically egocentric, perhaps saying that the US sees itself as the only important factor in defeating ISIS, or indicating that the US is concerned with saving face, making a demonstration of effort, but not actually concerning themselves with effectiveness of their efforts.

What is the message of the image?

The overall message is that US airstrikes are ineffective against the current ISIS threat, and need to be increased or improved to the point that they are actually accomplishing something. It insinuates that, despite foreign intervention, ISIS is undeterred and will continue to carry out its aggressions unchecked. Also, it may be proposing that, despite President Obama’s “no boots on the ground” policy, that may be exactly what’s needed.

Which biases, if any, are conveyed by this image?

A specific bias is not immediately apparent, though a general international attitude prevails – whatever the bias is, it doesn’t come from the US government.

Analysis: There is not a very established symbolism in this image beyond the obvious representation of military force by the aircraft and the symbol of ineffectiveness presented by the bursting bubbles. There is not much in the way of exaggeration. There are only a few objects in the image, and the plane itself is depicted realistically enough to determine the model. On the other hand, this cartoon epitomizes the visual rhetoric of Irony. Defining Irony as “results turning out different from expectations,” we see a clear cut example of the above. An airstrike denotes expectations of violence, of explosions and mayhem.

The last thing the audience expects are harmless soap bubbles popping. As far as Labeling goes, there is one simple instance: the plane has a clear US written on the tail, defining the airstrike as American. Lastly, though not necessarily an established, idiomatic one, this cartoon represents some form of simile, specifically that the air strikes and bombings are as harmless as soap bubbles. The plane is not a simile or metaphor, it simply is what it is, a military aircraft, or perhaps a metonymy of the entire military effort.

ISIS War

Sept. 30 http://www.cagle.com/2014/09/obama-trying-to-disarm-isis/

Coding Sheet: Team Member Name: Logan Publication: Minneapolis Star Tribune Date: Sept. 11, 2014 Cartoonist: Steve Sack U.S. Title of cartoon: Isis War Cartoon# What action is taking place in the cartoon?

President Obama is taking Uncle Sam’s bare foot and putting it into the quicksand representing ISIS. What is the context?

At the time this cartoon was published, Obama had recently given a speech indicating plans to “degrade and ultimately destroy ISIS,” which clashed with his previous plans to begin vacating the middle east.

Tone of the cartoon: Negative framing of the issue opposed to supporters and supportive of opponents.

What “reality” is constructed/framed about your issue?

The cartoon is emphasizing the US involvement in yet another international conflict despite efforts to tone down our nation’s presence overseas. Depicting ISIS as quicksand illustrates Obama’s urging of the nation (Uncle Sam) into another prolonged conflict without a clean way out of it.

Stakeholders: The primary stakeholders in this cartoon are ISIS, President Obama, the US military and its leadership, and the United States as a whole.

Foreground: The focus of the cartoon is on Uncle Sam and the Prsident, both noticably uneasy with the prospect of venturing into the quicksand.

Background: The empty background keeps the focus on the two characters and could potentially indicate a desert environment.

Active: Obama is acting on Uncle Sam, representing the nation.

Passive: The passive victim is the Uncle Sam character being forced into the quicksand.

Sympathetic/Unsympathetic: The cartoon appears fairly neutral, as Obama is shown trying to deal with the ISIS threat and still keep to his promises about boots on the ground. The cartoon shows the President in a sympathetic light, being in an impossible decision. However, it also shows him basically dragging the United States into another conflict.

Primary emotion: Helplessness.

Which stakeholders are not included in the image?

American troops whose boots will actually be on the ground, those already affected by ISIS in foreign countries.

What is the message of the image?

The primary message is directed toward a nation supposedly leaving middle-eastern conflicts behind. President Obama aiming to in some way stick to his goal to avoid more boots on the ground has him resorting to removing Uncle Sam’s boot in some sort of loophole. The ISIS war, symbolized by quicksand, threatens to pull Sam into a drawn-out conflict which the nation is already tired of.

Which biases, if any, are conveyed by this image?

The cartoon is biased against the President, displaying the contrast of his promises to get US troops out of the middle-east after years of endless fighting and his newly-stated declartion to find and destroy ISIS. Analysis: Though certainly meant to call attention to the President’s decision to engage ISIS overseas and therefore continue US involvement in the middle-east rather than bringing troops home, the cartoon isn’t entirely unsympathetic to Obama. He is shown wearing an expression of resignation and anxiousness, mirrored by Uncle Sam represnting the country as a whole. The cartoon sympathizes with Americans sick of the war in the middle east with no discernable end, using that sentiment to emphasize the ISIS conflict’s potential to pull the the nation into a conflict President Obama would rather not be a part of.

Coding Sheet: Team Member name: Ashlyn Publication: Date: September 11, 2014 Cartoonist: Bruce Plante US/International: US Title of Cartoon: “Eye on the Ball” Cartoon #: 10 Action/context analysis: In this cartoon, Obama is looking frazzled while playing a game of golf.

However, this is not a regular game of golf because the golf ball represents Isis, and there is a missile in Obama’s bag. He is shown thinking “Keep your head down... keep your eye on the ball...right elbow straight...follow through...only 2 more years left.”

This cartoon was drawn the day after Obama gave a speech that stated his plan on how to combat Isis, stating that “we will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy” (Obama, 2014).

Stakeholders: The obvious stakeholders in this cartoon are Obama and ISIS. Foreground: The stakeholders are displayed in the foreground of this image.

Obama is getting ready to “tee off ” ISIS. Background: The background contains Obama’s golf bag with a missile in it.

Active: Obama is the active aggressor.

Passive: Isis is the passive victim.

Sympathetic/Unsympathetic: The cartoon is supposed to make you feel antipathy towards Obama.

Primary emotion: Contempt.

Which stakeholders are not included in the image?

Americans; The next President; Anyone who will be affected by Obama’s counterterrorism strategy (ie Syria, Iraq) What is the message of the image?

This image is criticizing Obama’s approach towards the situation with Isis. It suggests that he is more concerned with his involvement in the situation than actually resolving it. He just wants to get through the next 2 years so that someone else can deal with it.

Which biases, if any, are conveyed by this image?

This image is biased against they way Obama is handling ISIS. Analysis: As you can see in the cartoon, Obama is depicted playing golf in what appears to be desert-like conditions, perhaps to represent the landscape of where the war is taking place. The golf ball is labeled as ISIS, and Obama is getting ready to take a swing at it. However, it seems pretty ironic that the fight against ISIS is being represented as a game of golf. This is a serious, dangerous issue, and golf is supposed to be an activity of leisure.

There is something to be said about why Bruce Plante chose to have Obama golfing in this cartoon. According to obamagolfcounter.com, he has played 192 rounds of golf since he became president. This has been the cause for a lot of criticism. For example, in regards to ISIS, Obama played golf almost immediately after the beheading of James Foley (Foster, 2014). He received a great deal of flack because of this. In Peter Foster’s words, Obama appeared to be using golf as a way to “check out” of his presidential responsibilities. Plante is playing off of these criticisms in his cartoon, and adding criticisms of his own.

Obama’s facial features are exaggerated, and his tongue is sticking out which makes him appear to be unintelligent. A thought bubble above his head says “Keep your head down...keep your eye on the ball...right elbow straight...follow through...only 2 more years left.” This suggests that Obama doesn’t care that much about the issue, because it makes it seem like he only cares about making it out of his presidency alive.

In the background, there is a golf bag with missile inside of it. This symbolizes the airstrikes that Obama has promised to deploy against ISIS. He has already administered at least 150 strikes (Obama, 2014). It seems like Plante wanted to convey the message that Obama is catering to his own needs while keeping the possibility of airstrikes in his back pocket, or his golf bag.