I can appreciate a political cartoon as well as anyone, but one particular cartoon published by The Washington Post on Saturday, May 25 struck me as especially troubling. Prize-winning cartoonist Drew Sheneman (who has been writing for the Star-Ledger in Newark, NJ since 1998) depicted two elephants fishing off a boat; one “reels in” a tire with the word “Benghazi” printed on it, and the other “reels in” an old shoe with “IRS” stamped on the bottom. The elephant with the “Benghazi tire” says in his word balloon “Beats workin’.” OK, I get it: Republicans on a fishing expedition; haha, very funny. But “beats workin’??” It seems to me that the Republicans, as opposed to the Democrats, are the only ones in Congress who are working at the moment – on looking out for us. Are we to infer from this cartoon that it is perfectly all right for the current administration to have abandoned our personnel in Benghazi?? Is it “OK” for the IRS to have specifically targeted conservatives? Is it acceptable for the Democrats to remain “out to lunch” on these – and other – issues? It is especially insulting for this cartoon to have run over the Memorial Day weekend when we are saluting heroes who were trained to never leave comrades behind. Mr. Sheneman might not think his elephants are such a joke if someday the IRS audits him.

-Mugger in the Park at St. Mary’s College of Maryland

A nifty little 10-minute play by Marylander James Wise is part of the Watermelon One-Play Festival this weekend to be held in the Bruce Davis Theatre of Montgomery Hall at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. There are 10 plays to be performed in all; Mugger in the Park will be performed in the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. time slot for the first four plays on Saturday, June 1. Tickets for each time slot are only $15. for students, seniors, and groups (any group) of 3 or more. Finalists proceed to the performance on Sunday at 2 p.m. with an awards ceremony to follow. Mugger in the Park packs a powerful punch – it’s a comedy – with a thought provoking twist at the end. And it can be interpreted as a play about gun control – pro or con? – you decide. For more information on the Festival you may access www.watermeloninc.org or www.watermeloninc.org/Participants.html.  Please consider coming out to support community participants and to vote for your favorite play and favorite performers, as well.    

-St. Mary’s County Repu