Dedicated cartoonist Rick Friday lost his job at a farming publication after one reader found his work offensive. Rick’s cartoon, which critiqued the profit disparity between large agricultural corporations and Iowa farmers, led to his dismissal. But was it justified? Let’s explore.
Rick Friday, a resident of Lorimor, Iowa, had been a faithful cartoonist for Farm News, a weekly farming publication under The Fort Dodge Messenger, owned by Ogden Newspapers. For 21 years, Rick’s thought-provoking “It’s Friday” cartoons graced the pages of the publication — until one day, a single complaint changed everything.
Sharing his disappointment on Facebook, Rick wrote, “Again, I fall hard in the best interest of large corporations. I am no longer the Editorial Cartoonist for Farm News due to the attached cartoon,” and posted the controversial cartoon that led to his termination.
The cartoon criticized the enormous earnings of CEOs from big agricultural firms like Monsanto, DuPont Pioneer, and John Deere compared to the dwindling profits of Iowa farmers. It depicted two farmers conversing, with one lamenting, “I wish there was more profit in farming,” and the other noting, “There is. In 2015, the CEOs of Monsanto, DuPont Pioneer, and John Deere combined made more money than 2,129 Iowa farmers.”
According to the Des Moines Register, the mentioned companies are major players in the agricultural sector. In 2015, CEOs from these corporations collectively earned approximately $52.9 million, amid a period where farm incomes were getting squeezed.
Despite the factual basis of Rick’s cartoon, it only took one displeased reader’s complaint, likely from one of the giants depicted, to shake things up. Allegedly, a company associated with one of the corporations in Rick’s cartoon pulled its advertising from Farm News, prompting the publication to terminate Rick’s “It’s Friday” series.
Explaining his situation, Rick posted, “Apparently a large company affiliated with one of the corporations mentioned in the cartoon was insulted and cancelled their advertisement with the paper, thus, resulting in the reprimand of my editor and cancellation of ‘It’s Friday’ cartoons after 21 years of service and over 1,090 published cartoons to over 24,000 households per week in 33 counties of Iowa.”
Rick, who also raises cattle, remained firm in his stance. “I did my research and only submitted the facts in my cartoon,” he asserted. “Hopefully, my children and grandchildren will see that this last cartoon published by Farm News will shine light on how fragile our rights to free speech and free press really are in this country.”
Rick’s persistence paid off. Sixty days after his termination, Farm News offered him an apology and invited him back, an offer he accepted. Additionally, Rick received offers from other publications and interest from a major publisher to review his cartoon collection for a potential book. “By returning to Farm News, this gives a strong statement to all who tried to censor the truth and that the voices of many people were heard,” Rick shared in a follow-up post.
Reflecting on the experience, Rick called for understanding and cooperation between rural and urban communities. “We owe this partnership to our future,” he emphasized. Remembering his father’s advice, he remarked, “Most importantly we must be nice to one another. My father once said, ‘You boys need to try to get along, someday you might need to share a foxhole together.’”
Though Rick regained his position, the incident underscores an important issue: what happens when the truth is deemed offensive? Should differing opinions be silenced to satisfy a few? It’s essential to protect all forms of speech, especially those that challenge or provoke thought. Remember, unoffensive speech doesn’t need protection, but the words some don’t want to hear certainly do.
