Storm on social media and the blogosphere over Jenny Coopes' cartoon ... When is enough, enough? ... Community outcry forces cartoonist into hiding ... Democracy at work
WALKLEY award winning cartoonist, Jenny Coopes, is believed to be in hiding after it was revealed that many right-minded people have been scandalised by a cartoon published in Justinian months ago.
The widespread outrage, which has just come to light, concerns a drawing of three men each with a glass of wine.
Known as the Pragmatist cartoon because that gives away the punch line, the picture has drawn criticism from a host of community groups, which have taken to the airwaves and social media sites to express their concern.
"The cartoon is all about men and the message is that women can't be optimistic or pragmatic. That is so disempowering," tweeted Kat Flapp from the Society of Humorous Feminists.
"The appointment of a female cartoonist is classic tokenism and the worst gesture politics. Someone could have been killed," she added.
Gay men say it will do nothing to bring marriage equality closer.
"It offends dyslexics", twittered Yuri Speller of OCD, a national think tank. "The men are in the wrong order. The pessimist should come last."
"Strictly speaking, that's bullshit", tweeted Eddie Torr of Pedants Aren't Parents.
"The real offence is the use of the expression 'Half Empty'. A container is either empty or it is not," he tweeted.
Men's groups are horrified. Barry Yakker from Fathers Against Rongful Klaims: Mainly Exes (F.A.R.K. M.E.) twatted:
"How are we supposed to explain this to our kiddies?
The guys in the cartoon are all boozers with psychological problems. Men just aren't like that in the real world."
Percy Lips of Victorians and God picked up on the alcohol theme.
"What the hell does this woman think she is doing? Encouraging our young to drink? It's disgusting and to think it could happen in our own backyards."
Muslim groups have taken to the streets and are burning large blow-ups of the cartoon for no particular reason.
Visually impaired people are also up in arms. "They should be spectacles not glasses," said the chairperson of Let's See About This, Rosie Hayes. "And that's not how you spell optometrist!"
Wendy Harmer tweeted that Coopes' mistake was not to get the permission of the men depicted.
"I always do and that's why I have been so hilarious over the years."
Lord Justice Leveson mumbled that he had done his time and there was nothing to add.
Stephen Fry tweeted that the word pragmatism had been palpably misused.
"As anyone knows the word was originally developed by Charles S. Peirce and William James and distinguished by the doctrine that the meaning of an idea or a proposition lies in its observable practical consequences."
Eva Caring, spokesperson for Kids in Cotton Wool spoke out against the cartoonist's "selfish failure" to use potato prints in her work.
"We never use the 'N' word in our house, but how can my little Polly look up to her when she draws naughty things like that?"
The Prime Minister Julia Gillard called for a wholesale statutory underpinning program and a raft of measures.
"We need to be clear about what humour is. We want it defined. We are considering the appointment of a Laughter Tsar with sweeping powers.
On a personal note may I say, it's about time Mrs Cooper got her dessert. Her depictions of my proboscis have been noted and put on notice."
Gillard's predecessor Kevin Rudd said that an inquiry would clear the air.
"I'm well-known as a fun guy who can grow on people, but jokes like this can damage the fabric of society.
It is time for Australians to shake the sauce bottle."
Rudd suggested a "bold and historic cross-party apology to the many generations of cartoon victims".
"I for one want to see Ron Tandberg and Larry Pickering in the dock, but it's not up to me."
Jeff Kennett described the cartoon as very depressing.
Malcolm Turnbull put out a statement saying that, "Anything directly or indirectly, whether intentionally or not, in cartoon form or otherwise which depicts me has to be welcome".
A massive media scrum has been camped outside Coopes' residence since Sunday.
Well-wishers have placed hundreds of bouquets on the doorstep of the troubled cartoonist's home.
A neighbour was arrested after telling the media:
"Jen's pissed off but that's not to say she's unhappy. Are ya with me?"