There's nothing wrong with today's reference to Mandela. 1. It nicely makes the point that after the media's soft explanation-free celebration of a good and complex man he has been made a measure of the ideal for people who don't understand him and what he did. 2. A bit of bad taste, if your sensitive correspondents so judge it, is always to be welcomed in American oh-how-nice-we-are culture.

Great strip today in the San Antonio Express-News. I was busted for a few plants on a wilderness farm (snitched by a meter reader) on July 15, 1977. After three post-graduate years in my training in shamanism, lost a B.A. in Psychology, UT Austin, ''71, and Masters in Social Work, over this insane "law." I've had fun ever since with their nonsense: Please see my crop of '86 in the "Messin' With the Law" a chapter in my book, South Texas Shaman. Notice the reply from the head judge of Bexar County when I wrote him demanding compensation for a satanic, manmade "law" (uproarious), and the letter I sent to the Express-News, with pix, of the '86 crop. Also my letter to Bush/Cheney/FBI/DEA, etc. My stoner friends have roared. God bless you, keep up the good work.

I'm a big big fan forever, but today's strip referencing Nelson Mandela was not acceptable. I read it over twice and still felt it was majorly, cringingly disrespectful and not even funny. It's the first time I've ever felt that way about your work -- which everybody in my household deeply appreciates. Just thought I should let you know! Thanks.

I hope I'm not being too sensitive, but I feel the comparison (humorous in intent as it was) of Zonker to Nelson Mandela perhaps stretched the boundaries of good taste. The timing seems especially unfortunate given Mr. Mandela's recent passing.

How do you generate that stunned expression which is Zipper's standard face to the world?

It seems the GOP Sensitivity Sessions have touched a couple of Republican nerves. Keep up the good work!

A "slippery slope"? Just what I wanted for Christmas!

Since 2004 we Alaskans have elected two Republican women in statewide contests. Sen. Murkowski was re-elected, and our Representative (a 70-something, nearly-dead-white-male) has been re-elected 19 or 20 times. Some regard him as "controversial," others as "plain spoken." I don't think he's ever been as bone-headed regarding the better half of humanity as the tone-deaf boneheads in the recent strips.

It's amazing that Garry hasn't either been assassinated by the CIA or at least indicted for sedition.

The "war on women" is about the only weapon left in the liberal arsenal. You are using it skillfully, and as always, it will work and women will fall in line.

Well said. I had the same reaction to what Senator Chambliss said. It wasn't his exact words that were disgusting. It was what he appeared to be implying (else why would he have said them?): Aggression, including rape and murder, is something that our instincts and hormones make us susceptible to. What is objectionable in the statement is the unspoken implication that nothing can be done about this, and we might as well just accept the unacceptable. When will the GOP catch on that we will not accept this? And we will continue to struggle against it.

Thank you on behalf of women everywhere for your cartoons on the subject of rape in general, sexual harassment in the military, and the Republican view of women -- you are right on. Please continue the battle and no, they will never get it.

I am greatly enjoying your week of spotlighting GOP insensitivity towards women (and welcome back, GBT, your dailies have been greatly missed!). I'd imagine there was some indecision on the joke panel of today's strip as to whether to portray Chambliss as truly being "drunk" or sober, which would mean he actually believed what he said. For what it's worth, I lean towards the latter option. Happy Holidays!

Today's strip has a comment by Saxby Chambliss, whom I consider one of the more despicable members of the Senate, because of his smearing of a quadraplegic war hero, who was anti war. Other liberals and progressives need to take heed. We need to respect truth, even when it is uttered, in extremely small quantities, by our enemies. Just as there are a sizable number of Muslims who hate us because of religious fundamentalist zealotry, the vast majority of Muslims are reasonable folks. They want the same things we want, because they are peaceable parents and patriots. So it is that our own right wing proto fascists often utter snippets of the truth.

The comments uttered by Sen. Chambliss which are referred to in the strip also contain a tiny bit of truth. We are animals, not far removed from our savage ancestry. And that distance we have travelled is a strictly cultural separation. Supposedly, we are governed by that culture, but the evidence says otherwise. So when we mock Chambliss and the ugly things he says, or when we defend Muslims from the broad brush that it is so tempting to use to paint all Muslims, we need to constantly bear in mind that every time we speak other than the truth, each time we fail to concede the point, no matter how small it may seem to us, we lose the aid of others, who might otherwise be willing to accompany us on the path of progress and enlightenment. May the spirit of the teachings of Jesus leaven our consciousnesses. Love and truth can triumph, and this world can be a better place

Thank you so much for today's Sandbox post, Operation Reindeer Games. As a mil mom it's hard to find much to laugh out loud about this time of year, but no lump of coal in any of your stockings! OP ELFONASHELF -- priceless. Here's to everyone being home this time next year.

Thanks for Sunday's strip about Republicans who increase the power of their own votes by disenfranchising the young for "inadequate wisdom." It brought back memories of my father hiding my absentee ballot in 1972 while I was in the service, to prevent me from voting against Nixon.

I really got a kick out of today's strip because both genders really do carry the sexism to the ultimate extremes of ignorance! The Teapublican males are notoriously ignorant and prejudiced.

Nice Pogo reference in the Flashback strip from 40 years ago today: "Deck us all with Boston Charlie." ("Walla walla wash and Kalamazoo")

Thank you thank you thank you for exposing to the nation the stupidity of North Carolina's ridiculous laws and cuts.They also will no longer pay for a Master's of Education. Teacher morale is at an all time low, with more and more testing and record keeping. This 25-year teacher wants to thank you for your candor. You didn't even mention the governor and his lack of understanding. It's sickening really to teach in NC. Merry Christmas!

First, I would like to thank you for the mention of open carry at Starbucks. I personally prefer concealed carry, but either way I feel safer knowing decent folks are making an effort to protect us from those who wish to do us harm. Second, I would like to thank you for representing North Carolina as a GOP controlled state that supports responsible voting and firearms. This depiction will hopefully help in keeping anti-gun liberals from moving to our wonderful state.