Yes, I too feel a desire to post something about This Week's Anniversary. For what it's worth, this is it:
One Saturday, late in October of 2001, I was seated at a table at a craft fair at our local Union hall trying to sell cartoon portraits. I didn't have a lot of customers, so I was doodling to pass the time.
It was little more than a month after the 9/11 attacks and a lot of the other craft vendors were selling patriotic stuff; knick-knacks and towel holders and refrigerator magnets with American Flags and Patriotic Eagles. I felt like doing something patriotic too.
In the preceding month I had seen a lot of patriotic art in response to the terror attacks: countless variations of the Weeping Eagle in front of the burning Twin Towers; or the Angry Eagle promising payback.
I decided I didn't want to draw something angry, or even something sorrowful. I wanted to draw something that reflected what I think are our country's best qualities: a spirit of optimism and a determination to rebuild despite setbacks.
And so I drew this Uncle Sam. Not a Grief-stricken Sam; not a Vengeful Sam, but a Sam brimming with Hope and Confidence who is ready to undertake the hard work of making America better.
As it turned out, Vengeful Sam won out in our national discourse. But there's always hope.