When asked about Paul Bernardo’s parole hearing, @fordnation said this about the serial killer: “I'd just throw away the key and let this guy rot. He's nothing but a scumbag."
A bit rich from a man responsible for *thousands* of premature deaths during his reign
Editor’s Note: This comic generated a complaint to the Law Society of Ontario:
Alright... I’ve had time to process the Law Society complaint from a total stranger about one of my comics deemed offensive. They asserted it was “conduct unbecoming of a lawyer.”
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
THANKFULLY the LSO disagreed and defended my expression. But this incident prompted reflection.
First, here’s the impugned comic and thread. It has 41K Twitter impressions and counting. https://t.co/8ODgrpgLvi pic.twitter.com/LQnQerjkKv
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
And here’s the complaint.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
The writer takes issue with:
✅ comparing Bernardo’s “kill count” to @fordnation inappropriate due to nature of his crimes
✅ timing of comic inappropriate because of proximity to parole hearing
✅ risk of re-victimizing families affected by his crimes pic.twitter.com/3THbPFjFwX
✅ other people were upset, and I defended my decision to post despite acknowledging some misgivings
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
✅ I said “nothing is sacrosanct” yet in other posts discuss the appropriateness of naming a business with the initials KKK
✅ no regard for impact on victims of crime
Some choice adjectives include: extremely offensive, disrespectful, and hurtful; inappropriate; unnecessary; deplorable; bad taste.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
I would be lying if I said my goal wasn’t to sometimes make people uneasy. Being made uncomfortable is a powerful way to confront and/or reassess one’s values, priorities & boundaries. To do so, one must step out of their comfort zone.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” - Banksy pic.twitter.com/EYi4ThYIWr
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
I don’t set out to cause harm with my comics. And there are times I’ve been rightfully called out for being thoughtless about visual archetypes.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
Nobody is immune from criticism. I am still learning, and always will be.
But I want my editorial cartoons is to make readers stop, think, and ask themselves, “Why do I find this funny?” Or alternatively, “Why don’t I like this? Why is it unsettling?”
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
That’s perhaps a level of analysis many people aren’t comfortable with (there’s that word again!).
Without tooting my own horn, my comics are relevant to current events. There’s no holds barred. I break down complex issues into bite-sized pieces. I reach an audience that may not otherwise be politically engaged in the typical sense.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
That’s important political expression.
For someone to try and attack my livelihood because they disagree with how I convey my political thoughts and opinions is disconcerting.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
Turns out even sole practitioners have to worry about being tattled on to the manager 😫 pic.twitter.com/1AVFjc5nJh
Even assuming the complaint was made in good faith, what was the end game?
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
Retraction?
(self)Censorship?
Punishment if I refuse?
If you’re reading this, I am genuinely sorry about any distress caused. But maybe it’s worth interrogating what made you so uncomfortable enough to try interfering with my professional life.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
Comparing @fordnation & Paul Bernardo is apples to oranges… both of which are fruit.
Was it torture to let seniors die from dehydration? To forcefully prevent family and loved ones from providing care and oversight? To shield perpetrators from liability?
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
How do lives of a few dozen victims measure up against a few thousand?
What qualifies as “tragic” vs “inevitable”?
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
What crimes are worthy of sanction? Who gets to escape punishment?
What does it mean for the pot to call the kettle black? What if it’s actually a black kettle?
These are some questions I mused about in conceptualizing this comic.
I don’t do this for cheap laughs.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 1, 2021
UPDATE: I deleted the LSO response letter. There’s no strict confidentiality rules & I redacted key details, but I am acting out of an abundance of caution.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Commentator (@CarymaRules) July 2, 2021
Suffice it to say the LSO acknowledged the comic is a form of political expression touching on matters of public interest.
