Me... a cartoonist?

As soon as we were asked to write a comic I started wondering which topic I was going to choose. I´ve always liked to read comics and I enjoyed writing some when teachers told me to do so at school.

Before starting writing, I had to decide which topic I was going to write about and I´ve found it hard to do so, as there are many issues which worry Argentinians in particular and society in general. Even though my comic´s theme is delinquency, in fact I think it also reflects social hatred and social prejudices. It is quite common to hear delinquents claiming that crime is their only option in life. And in fact, sometimes it seems as if they felt they had the duty to steal, to rape, to kidnap, to mention but a few criminal acts. The worst thing is that they generally don´t feel remorse at all.

Last week, it really shocked me to hear the news of the death of Isidro, a baby who, 4 days before birth, was a victim of insecurity, together with his mother who is still fighting for her life at hospital. I cannot understand why someone who earns every little penny to buy a car, to buy a house, to feed his family or even just for the sake of earning it has to be afraid of criminals. People don´t want to have money in their hands because they feel they´ll probably be robbed or even murdered. Why can´t the rich be rich? Why can´t a worker come back home happy after being paid? Why can those delinquents go out with guns and just ask -violently, of course- for the money or the goods they haven´t earn or bought?

Is this the society we want for us, for our children, for our grandchildren? Is all this madness we live in justified? Why can´t officialdom realise that we could have a better, more secure country if laws were stricter, if they taught us to respect each other a bit more? The President claimed this morning that each country has the institutions and the systems that her society creates... Maybe it´s the other way round and if institutions changed, then society would change as well... If those in power assumed the responsibilities they have, they would teach us a lesson. It isn´t enough to listen to them, I guess we all want to see actions rather than to listen to their words.

If we continue being unprotected, if we go on listening to authorities saying that insecurity is just a "feeling", then society won´t change. We´ll become even more infuriated, more resentful, more determined to act on our own will. And the worst thing is that insecurity will never be deterred and that criminals won´t pay.

More than just a comic, I´ve found this experience really motivating, enriching and moving and I think I´ll start using cartoons as a way to air my feelings whenever I need to do so.

If you want to see the cartoon in a bigger size, click here.