Non Sequitur is an intelligent comic; bring it back

Published 1:30 am Thursday, February 21, 2019

I am writing to express my dismay at your terminating the comic strip, “Non Sequitur.” For one thing, you are replacing it with … “Garfield”? Are you kidding? It’s hard to imagine a bigger waste of ink.

I would guess that, if you took a survey, you would find that very few of us readers even noticed that oh-so-offending tiny expression in the corner of one of the frames. When I read your notification that the strip would be canceled, I had to go dig last Sunday’s paper out of my recycle bin to see what the excitement was all about (good thing we had no recycle pick-up this week!). I had to look hard for the phrase that I have often uttered myself.

Have you not noticed that coarse language, not to mention behavior, is commonplace in our country, now that we have a president who frequently utters astonishingly offensive statements? The word that you object to is one that I hear frequently at the middle school where I teach, from twelve- and thirteen-year-olds. Its use, barely visible in the comic strip, was far from the major issue you have made it out to be.

Wiley Miller’s brilliant, enduring work is my favorite comic strip.

It’s designed for the intelligent reader who is paying attention to what is going on in the world. I will now be shopping for and subscribing to another publication whose editors understand its value.

Please reconsider.

Gina Parry

Snohomish

Editor’s note: Recognizing that the scribble in the comic was barely legible, its intent was clear, and its submission to run in our Sunday package of comics — done without advance notice of its content to The Herald and other newspapers — was inappropriate, which is why the comic was replaced. We attempt to offer a range of comics that appeal to our readers — young and old — and are appropriate for the intended audience. We encourage readers’ feedback on the comics we offer.