As when the controversy came up about his cartoons on the Australian bush fire, I decided it only fair to get his own input on the matter, so I emailed him. And he responded.
Here's what I wrote today:
Right now the Korea-related blogs are discussing (see here, here, and here) your apparent firing from the KT (according to Pravda).And here's how he responded:
I wonder if you'd like to share your thoughts on that.
Well, I have already answered 2 interviews so far and another 2 interviews are coming and I have very little time these past 2 days to do my work. These Russian are crazy and they are trying to export their standard of low-freedom of press outside Russia. I have the support of many newspapers and colleague journalists – reporters without borders has been noticed. BUT I am not very happy with various blogs who are unprofessionally taking advantage of the situation to drag me in the mud. Just because they hate my cartoons , they – as americains – shouldn’t stand side by side with The Russians who do not support Freedom of the press. That’s sad , it shows that people like freedom of the press EXCEPT when it’s an opinion contrary to them . It’s called ‘ having no principle ! ‘ …It should be clear that by "these Russians are crazy" he means those Russians who are going after those who have printed his cartoons, and not necessarily Russians in general.
Shot some questions and I’ll try to answer it quickly but excuse my lack of time… Best, Stephff
At any rate, I look forward to reading those interviews.
UPDATE (5:32 p.m. KST):
Monsieur Peray has written me a second email telling me "nobody was fired at the Korea Times."
BUT I am not very happy with various blogs who are unprofessionally taking advantage of the situation to drag me in the mud. Just because they hate my cartoons , they – as americains – shouldn’t stand side by side with The Russians who do not support Freedom of the press. That’s sad , it shows that people like freedom of the press EXCEPT when it’s an opinion contrary to them . It’s called ‘ having no principle ! ‘
ReplyDeleteThe question is not one of "having no principles," it's one of "having no class." As far as I know, no blogger has called for Peray to be arrested/sued/beheaded/etc. It's not even a question of "Peray said something stupid/offensive, and now we want him fired." I read lots of things on the web I find stupid and offensive, but I don't call for the offenders to be sacked from their jobs. It's the quality of Peray's work that gets run in the KT that people have been questioning.
peray's a shit cartoonist anyway, so it doesn't matter.
ReplyDeletei'm upset that pravda article called out my boy gwynne dyer, though. that man's a national treasure. people take him seriously here; more seriously than russians take pravda i'd bet.
It's true that Russian journalism is not known for its freedom, and that blogs like mine lack a lot of class and perhaps it seems hypocritical to chastise the cartoonist/newspaper for the cartoons...
ReplyDeleteBut there's no getting away from the tastelessness of his work. Most of it is simply shit and unfunny. Some of it is outright offensive.
He has a right to draw/write whatever he wants. THAT is freedom. We, as bloggers, have that same right and it should not be infringed upon.
I remain utterly pissed at the KT and not at Peray. The KT probably ran the cartoon to capitalise upon Korean contempt for Russia right now. The title said it all (on the second cartoon).