Q: Many of your cartoons take a firmly pro-Israel stance. Why is that?

FORKUM: Our stance is that Israel, as a free country, has the right to militarily defend itself against terrorists, just as America does. Israel is hated by its enemies — both in the Middle East and in the West — for a number of reasons, not the least of which is anti-Semitism. But I think the primary reason is something Ayn Rand called "the hatred of the good for being the good." For those who want Islamic fundamentalism to reign supreme, who despise individualism and capitalism yet envy its wealth and power, and who evade the blatant failure of their own socialistic ideals, Israel is a constant reminder of the truth — that a small, poor, newly-formed nation can grow into a prosperous, mighty nation by valuing freedom. That is also why America is hated.

COX: Yeah, what he said.

Q: Are either of you Jewish?

COX: I'm not.

FORKUM: Me neither. But I might be if it weren't for the funny hats.

Q: Is there a difference, in your view, between patriotism and jingoism? If
so, what is it?

FORKUM: I understand "jingoism" to be an irrational sort of patriotism, a nationalistic desire to wage war for war's sake, to conquer weaker countries, to expand an empire, like Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan. But "patriotism" is simply a love of one's country. In America's case, that means a love of liberty and justice. Of course, to those who equate Bush to Hitler and America to an imperialist aggressor, patriotism and jingoism are probably indistinguishable.

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Cox & Forkum's Black & White World is available for order online. Bush fans may also be interested in these shirts & mugs. ---Dean

Note: This is a reprint of an article that originally appeared on Dean's World.