#7: Little Red Riding Hood Political Cartoon

            This political cartoon, drawn by Andy Marlette, is a depiction of the somewhat recent NSA phone tapping scandal.  It shows Little Red Riding Hood dressed as the Statue of Liberty and the Wolf dressed as the Obama administration.  The Wolf is holding papers that read “NSA Phone Surveillance” and saying “All the better to hear you with, my dear!” 

            Because of its portrayal of these characters, this cartoon shows the Obama administration in a negative light.  It’s almost as if it is oppressing liberty in a literal sense.  We know that in the tale, the Wolf eats Little Red Riding Hood, so this cartoon is expressing the idea that the NSA is eating freedom, personified by the commonly used symbol of the Statue of Liberty, and effectively and ultimately destroying it.

            It is also interesting that the wolf is still dressed up as the Grandmother in this cartoon.  It’s similar, comically, to showing a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  It is disguised in innocence, much like how the NSA is acting innocent in regard to the phone tapping situation.  But behind the granny glasses and the pink frilly night gown, there is still a snarling, hungry wolf, who is hungry for more.

            As for my response to this cartoon, I thought it was interesting.  It was intriguing that the artist, Andy Marlette, decided to depict such a serious situation through the interaction between two characters from a children’s fairy tale.  I enjoyed his approach and laughed when I first saw it.

Photo Link:

http://www.commonsenseevaluation.com/tag/little-red-riding-hood/#sthash.nvutazjN.dpbs