OPINION: Decisions on 'Dilbert'

Mar. 3—Reader: I was very happy to see that "Dilbert" was removed from TBC.

I imagine you're receiving lots of messages from people who feel otherwise, so I wanted to assure you that there are also those of us who agree with the decision to remove it.

Keep up the good work.

— Robin Paggi, Bakersfield

Reader: If you are looking for a replacement for "Dilbert," please consider "Breaking Cat News" from Andrews McMeel Universal. The comic covers news that is important to cats, is family friendly, runs seven days per week on GoComics and has over 15,000 followers. The creator now has six books published with a seventh on the way.

I've been a Californian subscriber for over 40 years and would love to see this in your comics lineup.

— Longtime subscriber

Reader: Please drop the "Dilbert" cartoon from The Bakersfield Californian. Let's not have Bakersfield look even more racist than it already does.

Thank you.

— Claire, a subscriber

Reader: The last time I checked, according to the Constitution of the United States of America, people in America still have the right to freedom of speech stated right in the Bill of Rights. The cartoonist of "Dilbert" said something recently classified as a racist remark. He insists his statement was misconstrued to mean something different than what he actually meant.

Now newspapers all over America are canceling "Dilbert" from their newspapers. I couldn't wait to see if The Bakersfield Californian would follow suit, and sure enough, "Dilbert" has been deleted from the cartoon page. A person's life and occupation should never be canceled based on what others perceive that a person has said and meant. A protester can burn an American flag but anyone else cannot voice an opinion without dire consequences.

Many peoples' lives have been canceled by elite woke cancel culturists who believe only they can determine what people should think, say, or do. The future of comedy is a concern because someone is always offended. Conservative speakers have been intimidated and run off from making speeches on college campuses. Words such as mom, dad and many other normal everyday words are no longer supposed to be used. The list goes on.

We all have opinions, thoughts and issues important to us. The Constitution's Bill of Rights gives us the right to voice these. If you don't like what someone says, don't listen, turn the page, turn the channel, or discuss it calmly. Bring back "Dilbert," and let us decide whether to read it or not. Cancel wokeness. May they go back to sleep before they ruin more lives of people they disagree with.

— Linda Meadows Polston, Bakersfield

Reader: I am so glad major publishing companies fired Scott Adams, the creator of "Dilbert" cartoons. His racist rant was not tolerated for good reason. His accusations of Black people being a hate group should be denounced and censored.

What we need in America is a reckoning on systemic racism. Adams' opinion on Black people being a hate group is a result of his education and upbringing as a child. We must have Black history and Chicano history taught in our public schools; this will help our children understand the plight and struggles of these cultures in a country like America. Maybe if we are honest with our history we can eliminate racism in America.

— Bill Guerrero, Bakersfield

Reader: Why would you print the "Dilbert" comic!!! Did you not hear the creator's racist rant? (Sent early Monday morning.)

— Shirley Ray, Bakersfield

Reader: Who made the decision to keep running this despicable man's racist views, with all the hate issues in our world. Shame on him/her. (Sent Sunday.)

— Henry Barron

Reader: As odious, at least to me, as Adams' comments are, I don't think connecting them to his comic strip is necessarily appropriate. There is such a thing as the First Amendment and he made those comments in another venue. I think the best response is for clear and critically thinking followers to respond with more considered opinions basically putting him in his place.

As for "Dilbert," it's my longtime number three favorite on TBC's comic page, "Rhymes with Orange" and "Sherman's Lagoon" being first and second. And, yes, I'm aware Adams has the poor judgment to be a Trump supporter. But, again, in a free society it's OK to have lamebrain opinions. The rest of us just must be vigilant to protect our precious system of law under a constitution with its unique separation of powers and an electoral system controlled locally, the major factor that shows the claims of some poor losers why claims of mass election fraud are the true fraud.

Thank you for your hard work at keeping TBC going. Locally published newspapers are a key element in protecting our freedom.

— Stephen A. Montgomery, Bakersfield

Peterson: I don't need to repeat Scott Adams' comments against Black Americans. They're widely available to read online. The "Dilbert" controversy has elicited several letters and calls to The Bakersfield Californian.

The Californian decided Monday to no longer print "Dilbert," created by Scott Adams. This decision was made as the news broke that Andrews McMeel Universal, the comic's distributor, was severing ties to the cartoonist. In other words, it would no longer make the comic available to newspapers. According to the Associated Press, by Monday morning, "Dilbert" was gone from the GoComics site, which also distributes other popular comics such as "Peanuts" and "Calvin and Hobbes."

Both on Sunday and Monday, "Dilbert" was dropped by newspapers across the country — from the Los Angeles Times to the Washington Post to the USA Today Network to smaller papers you might not have ever heard of unless you live in the communities they serve (have you heard of Lehigh Valley Live?).

Californian readers will still see "Dilbert" in this Sunday's newspaper. Why? As is the case for many newspapers across the country, the Sunday comics section is printed in advance. This Sunday's comics section was already printed and included "Dilbert" when this news broke.

Several people have commented on freedom of speech as embodied in the First Amendment to the Constitution.

A reminder on what that says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The First Amendment states what Congress can't do. The comic's distributor still has a right to no longer distribute "Dilbert." The press still has a right to decide what to print.

Executive Editor Christine L. Peterson answers your questions and takes your complaints about The Californian's news coverage in this feedback forum. Questions may be edited for space and clarity. To offer your input by phone, call 661-395-7649 and leave your comments in a voicemail message or email us at soundoff@bakersfield.com. Please include your name and phone number; your phone number won't be published.