November 04, 2011

Children of the Plains political cartoon

Political cartoon on the 20/20 special Hidden America: Children of the Plains:

A crying Lakota child is sitting on the ground in a spotlight. Diane Sawyer hovers over the child, thrusting a microphone at it. Next to her, a cameraman also bends over the child. He holds a video camera an inch or two from the child's face.

Around these people are a ring of ghostly figures beyond the light. They're traditional Plains Indians and they look sad and defeated. Each one has a label: Land Theft, Broken Treaties, Boarding Schools, Religious Ban, Discrimination, Lack of Funds, Corruption, Neglect, etc. Clearly the central figures are oblivious to the ghosts around them.

Sawyer is speaking urgently to her cameraman. The caption says:

"Focus in tight! We don't want to miss anything!"

For more on the subject, see Children of the Plains Is a Hit and Poverty Porn in Children of the Plains.

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