I am writing to express disappointment in the Record’s June 7 “Pick the Real Fascist” cartoon. This cartoon came as a response to the alt-right demonstration (and Antifa counter-demonstration) in Portland on June 4.

First, this cartoon displays a fundamental misunderstanding of the term “fascism.” According to the dictionary, fascism is “an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization.”

In the cartoon, “America First” is employed as coded language for “alt-right.” For context, Wikipedia states “alt-right beliefs have been described as isolationist, protectionist, antisemitic, and white supremacist, frequently overlapping with Neo-Nazism, Islamophobia, anti-feminism and homophobia.” However, in the cartoon, the “America First” demonstrator is portrayed as a patriot whose only concerns are advocating free speech and protecting the U.S.

This representation is manipulative and blatantly ignores the violent, racist, and white nationalist underpinnings of the alt-right movement. Just two weeks ago, two men were stabbed to death in Portland by a man who fiercely allied himself with the alt-right, the same movement portrayed as harmless in the Record’s cartoon. Why did the slayer murder these two men? Because (they were) coming to the defense of (two) Muslim woman whom the murderer was publicly harassing.

What message are we communicating as a region by circulating this image in our public media? We look dense and misinformed at best, hateful and ill-intended at worst. I believe that the Record owes the entire community (particularly our Muslim community) an apology.

Dana Hubanks

Snoqualmie