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Sherif Arafa / Alittihad, Egypt, Cagle.com
As Egyptians continue to protest and call for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, the government has responded by cracking down on the media and shutting down the nation's internet.
This crackdown hasn't stopped Sherif Arafa, the cartoonist who was working for the state-run Rosa Elyoussef magazine in Egypt (click here to view his cartoon archive), from filing new cartoons about the demonstrations. On a normal day Sherif struggles to voice his criticism without triggering the censors in a country where free speech is too often trampled upon.
Working for a government-run newspaper, Sherif is not allowed to draw about specific politicians, such as President Mubarak, or criticize religion. As a way around that, he created a character called “The Responsible” so he could say what he wanted.
Here are some of his most recent cartoons about the protests in Egypt that threaten to topple the Mubarak government:
Here is a video of Sherif Arafa talking about the obstacles to drawing cartoons for a state-run newspaper:
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In America, we think we have freedom of the press. But do we? Your cartoon of chain-linked bureaucrats on the video could well represent America's puppet politicians and corporate "sponsored" media outlets, both controlled by the top hand, the corporate aristocracy. No major media outlet, however progressive, would dare emphasize this connection. Even liberal politicians screech about "privatized" Social Security, education, etc. Privatize sounds positive, like it's taking back for the little guy what's rightfully theirs; it's rightwing newspeak. Call it what it is: "Corporatization." I deeply respect your courage, Sherif, which stands in sharp relief juxtaposed against our wimpy news anchors and talk show pundits. We have our gutsy cartoonists, too, but I don't think they reach the mainstream where they're most needed. Liberals here only manage to preach to the choir, thanks to the corporatization of the media. You, on the other hand, are literally (I fear) risking your life!