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I would like to welcome Carlos Latuff, the Brazilian Cartoonist in today's live chat session to speak about his cartoons on Gaza Holocaust.
To see Latuff's Gaza Holocaust Cartoons, click here
For feedback and suggestions, please e-mail us at artculture AT iolteam DOT com
Yours,
Rasha Mohammad
Art & Culture's Editor
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Editor
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Profession
Question
Peace Latuff, thanks for joining today's session.
I have a question to start the session with, it is so simple but I guess it is as well so reflective of the message behind your cartoons:
Why Palestine? :)
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Everything started in 1997 when I made cartoons supporting the struggle of the Zapatistas in Chiapas, Mexico. Then I realized that I could put my art at the service of political/social struggles, bringing awareness to the cause.
In 1999 I made a cartoon about the killing of the Palestinians and sent to a Palestinian human rights NGO called "Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy". They enjoyed a lot, and invited me to visit Palestine.
I saved some money and took a plane to Israel. After spending about 15 days visiting some Palestinian cities as Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron (hot spot!) I saw with my own eyes what Israeli occupation is all about.
Impossible to be in touch with the Palestinian reality and not being a supporter
I met ordinary people there...I talked to students in Hebron University, people on shops, taxis...families, children...and even had a meeting with the Jewish Community of Hebron (settlers), a citadel guarded by heavly IDF soldiers.
Thanks to this trip I become a friend and supporter of the Palestinian people.
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muslimah
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Profession
Question
How have your cartoons affected the attitudes and behaviors of different people?
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Muslimah, I can't say exactly, since I spread all of my artwork all around the Web and have no clue how much people my cartoons are reaching. Sometimes I have some feedback by email or MSN.
From Arabs and Muslims saying thanks for my efforts to U.S. citizens and Israelis, calling me names (hate mail). In fact, mostly of those who want to attack me do not send me emails, they prefer to hide themselves in blogs and online forums.
I really don't care. Most important for me is that my cartoons can reach people worldwide, promoting the struggle of the Palestinians and Iraqi, and denunciating the crimes of IsraHell/U.S. imperialism.
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Mokhtar
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Profession
Question
have you ever been to palestine?
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Mokhtar, yes, I was there in 1999. I wish I could visit Palestine again, but I'm sure that IsraHell won't allow me to enter, since now my art is now well known.
My experience there was really strong. All the Palestinians I heard had at least one story of Israeli brutality to tell. And they are always willing to tell you stories, as if nobody outside had interest to listen to them. They NEED to tell the world about their suffering, the IDF operations, humiliation at checkpoints, basic human rights denied, etc. Then what I try to make is to give them voice
Giving voice to the voiceless, through my cartoons.
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Rahim
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
your catoons spreaded quickly on the net recenty . i can remeber your comics on presidnets.. what else you have been produced tackling the politics wars?
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Rahim, I have two lines of work. As a professional cartoonist making cartoons for Leftist workers unions bulletins here in Rio de Janeiro (that's how I make a living) and copy left cartoons to be shown on the Web. People worldwide tend to know me more from the images I spread around the Web, since they deal with foreign affairs, specially Middle East affairs.
However, I have a big production on South American, Brazilian and local issues, which is published in the local Leftist papers I refered to.
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Moustapha
- Bahrain
Profession
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it is my first time to hear about your cartoons and about you... since when and you are doing cartoons about gaza?
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Ok Moustapha...As I said, I started making cartoons about Palestine (not only Gaza) since my trip to Palestine in 1999.
The cartoons spread around the Web were my response to recent aggression against Gaza civilians by IsraHell Occupation Forces. I wish to see the day when I will stop making such cartoons, when Palestinians won't need them anymore because they are free.
I will always keep making cartoons for the sake of the Palestinian people because I LOVE that people.
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Moma
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Profession
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do you face any threatens out of your cartoons? i mean to what extent you are free to publish your cartoons?
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Moma, I don't know if you can read Hebrew, I can't but I asked a friend of mine to translate a website called "Likudnik" where Zionists claim for some action against my cartoons:http://www.likudnik.co.il/Front/NewsNet/reports.asp?reportId=171273
Of course we can expect such threaths 'cause the Zionists know well that my cartoons are being reproduced and forwarded to people in many parts of the world. Just check Google for "latuff" and you will see countless pages from different countries with my cartoons reproduced. I hear about conspiracies against me here in Brazil, possible attacks against my life. If it's true or not, it doesn't matter. What really matter is that you may kill the artist but not his/her art.
My cartoons will survive after me, by the hands of decent people like you and everyone who's reading me now on this chat. My art is free to be reproduced, for the sake of the Palestinians, Iraqis or any oppressed people in the world. And I beg you all to help me to spread my cartoons to your friends and ask them to do the same. This is a website where you will find a large collection of my cartoons: http://latuff2.deviantart.com
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Lamyen
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Profession
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Do you think west care about Palestine? you are living in one the latin America country whose media is only focus on its news, are people around you care to read or watch even a cartoons on palestine?!
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Lamyan, I think mostly of people in the West care only about their own asses (specially Brazil), but the big paradox is that, Palestinians have more support from Western countries than Arab countries. The Arab and Muslim nations have the OBLIGATION of assisting Palestinians. Rich Arab countries could make pressure on Washington because they have OIL!
Arab nations could make more for the Palestinians than me as a cartoonist. I think Zionists are more united than Arabs. Lemme give you an example. Without U.S. funds, IsraHell would crash quickly, because they do not produce anything but state terrorism. And not only corporations are funding IsraHell, but also individuals. The Jewish have a sense of community and mutual support what explains that a Jew in any part of the world is connected with IsraHell and will make everything to support it, with moral support, or speaking openly for the sake of, making pressure over governments on behalf of IsraHell or even sending money to there.
I can't see the same regarding the Arabs and Palestine. Rich Arab nations prefer to invest billions of dollars building luxury hotels with golden taps. And do you know why Those nations won't make pressure on Washington? Because mostly of them are PUPPETS. Corrupt leaders. White House feed them with money as a man feeds his dog.
Do you know who assist the Palestinians? Common people like you and me.
Because the Arab bourgeois, like any other upper class in the world, have eyes only for their own busniness. It's a shame, but it's true. You Arabs must re-construct the Pan-Arab movement. Only Arabs will help Arabs. Do not expect anything from the West. Stop this fighting between Shias and Sunni, Fatah and Hamas, it's time now for unity, to fight a common enemy. It can sounds naive I know, but unity is the only way out I see for the Arab world.
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Tallulah Bankhead
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Profession
Question
Everytime you draw a caricature of a living being, you insult our beloved religion. Do you not care about this? The Noble Qu'ran reminds us that we should refrain from having graven images.
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Tallulah, I have only two choices for supporting Palestinians, Arabs and, yes, the Muslims. Since I'm an artist, what the best I have to offer is my ability for drawing. Then I can make supportive cartoons about the oppressed, their struggle. I can make cartoons supportive to Islam like this one: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/images/2008/03/393974.jpg
I'm not Muslim so I don't need to follow the Q'ran. I make what I think it's right. And between making cartoons on behalf of Islam, to fight the growing Islamophobia in Europe and US, and stop making my cartoons, I prefer to keep the first option.
If I'm committing a sin before the eyes of Allah, then let Him to punish me for trying to assist YOUR people with my art.
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Hous bin Fard'een
- Bahrain
Profession
Investment Caterer
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Hello Carlos -- I am wondering if your wonderful drawings criticise the violence between Fatah and Hamas?
Answer
Of course, Hous bin Fard'een. Even knowing all the Fatah's records of corruption and collaboration with the US/IsraHell, including arranging a kind of "coup d'etat" against democratically elected Hamas government, it hurts me seeing brother fighting brothers, Palestinians against Palestinians.
U.S. and IsraHell are playing the "divide and conquer" game not only in Palestine but also in Iraq (Shias versus Sunnis) because they know that divided you Arabs are weak.
That's why I claim for unity. Let's fight the common enemy, not wasting time killing each others. I wanna see Palestinians and Iraqis together always. The spirit of Nasser is alive.
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Mooshipork
- Hong Kong
Profession
Question
Who are your favourite cartoonists?
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Naji Al Ali, Joe Sacco, Ben Heine, Khaled Bendib, Mike Fluggenock, David Baldinger, to name a few, Mooshipork :)
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Lady Fingers
- Bermuda
Profession
Question
I would like to purchase one of your pieces. Where may I buy some?
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Lady you don't need to spend a single nickel. Just find my cartoons on the Web, print them and it's fine :). My art is your art, you don't need to pay me anything. Find one of my cartoons, print it in a poster format or in a t-shirt. Enjoy :)
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Mohamed
- Egypt
Profession
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how do see " freedom of arts"?
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Mohamed, I support freedom of speech 100%. But sometimes what we see is far from being freedom of speech. Let's take as example the cartoons about Mohammed in the Danish media.
Sometimes what some people refer as freedom of speech are clear hatred against race or religion. Depicting Mohammed with a bomb in the head seems more a slur against Islam than real freedom of speech. Interesting is that, while Europe defending the right of publishing those offensive cartoons, they didn't follow the same principle when Iran launched a cartoon contest about the Holocaust. The West have double standards on freedom of speech.
But to be honest, there's NO complete freedom of speech anywhere. No matter if in Rio de Janeiro or Cairo, your freedom will be always limited. It depends how your speech affects a certain group. I think we cartoonist must to have responsibility when making art which will be seen by many. But I must say, I never seen total freedom of speech. In a way or another, you will be limited.
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Karim
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Profession
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Is it happening that one of your cartoons helping in pressing on a politican and forcing him to retreat from a decison he made but his people refuse?
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I wish I could, Karim...but my cartoons are not THAT powerful. However, I am always making fun of politicians. Mostly of times, hitting them hard! :D
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Editor
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As I started with my question, let me close the sesion with another question:)
Do you think Arts can be a weapon?
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Yes, art can be everything you want.
Art can be merely decorative like a wallpaper or a strong weapon in the hands of the activist. I'm aware about that and that's why I make more and more cartoons.In hope of that people will use it as a kind of a "AK-47 of ideas":D
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Closing Message from Latuff
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"I'd like to thank you for all of your questions, attention, interest and kindness. I hope you can help me to keep spreading my art. I hope I can be assisting the oppressed with my art. I'm not a religious man, but...may Allah keep blessing you all, and give you strenght to keep resisting the U.S. imperialism in the Middle East. Salaam Aleikum." Carlos Latuff.
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And we would like to thank you for having the time to join IslamOnline.net's readers in today's session.
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