Provocative, but not awful

Re: “Gun cartoon misfires,” Letters, Connie Kenney, June 24 The letter writer said the June 22 cartoon from Malcolm Mayes was terrible, awful and offensive. In the cartoon, Jesus is crucified not on a cross, but on the outline of an automatic weapon labelled “U.S. gun culture,” and he is thinking “Father, forgive them; For they know not what they do.”

I had two thoughts on the cartoon — first that it was a comment on the saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” on the assumption that mass shooters are so deluded they perform these acts of violence in the belief their actions are either good or will somehow lead to a better world.

My second thought was perhaps the cartoon was referring to the gun manufacturers and those in the media who glorify the use of these weapons. It could be commenting that the pursuit of freedom to bear arms has consequences that supporters were not initially aware of.

In no way did I see it as terrible, awful or offensive. Perhaps the letter writer can write back to explain why she reacted that way.