This is one of my favorite strips. I’ve been following BD’s evolution as a human. True, he sometimes reverts to his previous self. But there is a definite, maturing process.
I hope we see alot more of this character. She definately deserves her own story, more fully developed.
I couldnt find a clue to her name. She’s not listed on Wikipedia or anywhere I could find on the official Doonesbury site. Any clues? A Marval no-prize to the winner.
In the story line of Doonesbury, as it has developed over the years, she absolutely does deserve a Purple Heart!
Unfortunately, yesterday, in the real world, it was ruled that soldiers suffering from war time PTS, and similar type injuries (I would certainly count sexual assualt amongst those), could not be awarded a Purple Heart.
Ridiculous - I hope this ruling is quickly revisited\reversed during the early days of the Obama administration.
PTSD is a real threat and a real injury. The problem comes from the criteria for awarding the Purple Heart. The injury has to be received as a result of enemy action, usually in direct contact with the enemy. Many people with PTSD have never actually come in contact with enemy combatants. A good example would be the emergancy room nurse who is under tremendous stress but only sees and treats the wounds of those who have been in combat. She has a serious disorder and can receive disability but hasnt earned a Purple Heart.
During Operation Just Because, when we invaded Panama in 1st Bush administration many Soldiers were awarded Purple Hearts for heat stroke. In the Army heat stroke is treated like sunburn and is considered the Soldiers fault. Yet some few were awarded a Purple Heart becuase it occured while they were in contact with enemy combatants.
It’s often impossible to decide whats fair in this case. Made worse because so few of our people in government have actually served in the military these days. They just don’t understand.
Thanks for the info, Dypak.
You know, in situations like those in the comic strip above, and the situations you described, it’s just as Pogo said once upon a time log, long ago…
“We has met the enemy, and they is us!”.
I hope we see alot more of this character. She definately deserves her own story, more fully developed.
I couldnt find a clue to her name. She’s not listed on Wikipedia or anywhere I could find on the official Doonesbury site. Any clues? A Marval no-prize to the winner.
DY, If I remember correctly her name is Melissa and indeed she does have quite a story.
I reiterate (from Calvin & Hobbes comments of Jan. 8), the quotation is: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
http://www.igopogo.com/final_authority.htm
Please excuse the persnickitude.
In re BD and Boopsie: BD was pretty two-dimensional, the default foil for Mike & co., until the Iraq war. Then Trudeau, casting about for a way to take his storyline to the front, obviously decided that BD was his man. Wanting to treat the topic seriously, he led BD to become a serious character more or less for the first time in the history of the strip. BD endured some serious plot development, and it should not come as a surprise to anyone that he is exhibiting some serious character development as a result. After all, this is what happens to us all in real life: we endure plot events, and either grow up or break under the pressure. Some of us just take longer to mature than others, that’s all. BD is one such late bloomer.
So is Boopsie. Way, way back in dinosaur times, children, when Doonesbury’s only venue was still Trudeau’s college newspaper (I think), there was one strip in which Boopsie emitted a particularly egregious piece of airheadedness, to which BD replied, “Don’t ever change, Boopsie.” (The line was later used as the title for a collection, which I don’t own so can’t check my accuracy.) She said “Okay!” And for many years, she didn’t. But for some time now, she has been growing quietly into an adult with opinions. BD, like some viewers, failed to notice for a while.
How many here are current or former SCA-folk? My hand is raised.
How many here are current or former taxi-dancers? My hand is raised. Not kidding.
margueritem almost 16 years ago
Bless you, BD.
cleokaya almost 16 years ago
BD is developing. He is becoming a decent human being. Suddenly, he can relate.
jackofstories almost 16 years ago
People are complex, they can be jerks one moment and decent human beings the next. Also, where IS her purple heart?
JonD17 almost 16 years ago
“Someone’sgot my back again, ma’am” What a great feeling. she’s gonna make it.
deadheadzan almost 16 years ago
So touching. B.D. 3 cheers.
TDMerrittPE almost 16 years ago
This is one of my favorite strips. I’ve been following BD’s evolution as a human. True, he sometimes reverts to his previous self. But there is a definite, maturing process.
TDMerrittPE
Durak Premium Member almost 16 years ago
I hope we see alot more of this character. She definately deserves her own story, more fully developed.
I couldnt find a clue to her name. She’s not listed on Wikipedia or anywhere I could find on the official Doonesbury site. Any clues? A Marval no-prize to the winner.
RonBerg13 Premium Member almost 16 years ago
In the story line of Doonesbury, as it has developed over the years, she absolutely does deserve a Purple Heart! Unfortunately, yesterday, in the real world, it was ruled that soldiers suffering from war time PTS, and similar type injuries (I would certainly count sexual assualt amongst those), could not be awarded a Purple Heart. Ridiculous - I hope this ruling is quickly revisited\reversed during the early days of the Obama administration.
Durak Premium Member almost 16 years ago
PTSD is a real threat and a real injury. The problem comes from the criteria for awarding the Purple Heart. The injury has to be received as a result of enemy action, usually in direct contact with the enemy. Many people with PTSD have never actually come in contact with enemy combatants. A good example would be the emergancy room nurse who is under tremendous stress but only sees and treats the wounds of those who have been in combat. She has a serious disorder and can receive disability but hasnt earned a Purple Heart.
During Operation Just Because, when we invaded Panama in 1st Bush administration many Soldiers were awarded Purple Hearts for heat stroke. In the Army heat stroke is treated like sunburn and is considered the Soldiers fault. Yet some few were awarded a Purple Heart becuase it occured while they were in contact with enemy combatants.
It’s often impossible to decide whats fair in this case. Made worse because so few of our people in government have actually served in the military these days. They just don’t understand.
RonBerg13 Premium Member almost 16 years ago
Thanks for the info, Dypak. You know, in situations like those in the comic strip above, and the situations you described, it’s just as Pogo said once upon a time log, long ago… “We has met the enemy, and they is us!”.
Cat_trick almost 16 years ago
This comic, as usual, gets right to the heart of the issue.
JonD17 almost 16 years ago
Dypak says:
I hope we see alot more of this character. She definately deserves her own story, more fully developed.
I couldnt find a clue to her name. She’s not listed on Wikipedia or anywhere I could find on the official Doonesbury site. Any clues? A Marval no-prize to the winner.
DY, If I remember correctly her name is Melissa and indeed she does have quite a story.
4deerinmyyard almost 16 years ago
I reiterate (from Calvin & Hobbes comments of Jan. 8), the quotation is: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
http://www.igopogo.com/final_authority.htm
Please excuse the persnickitude.
In re BD and Boopsie: BD was pretty two-dimensional, the default foil for Mike & co., until the Iraq war. Then Trudeau, casting about for a way to take his storyline to the front, obviously decided that BD was his man. Wanting to treat the topic seriously, he led BD to become a serious character more or less for the first time in the history of the strip. BD endured some serious plot development, and it should not come as a surprise to anyone that he is exhibiting some serious character development as a result. After all, this is what happens to us all in real life: we endure plot events, and either grow up or break under the pressure. Some of us just take longer to mature than others, that’s all. BD is one such late bloomer.
So is Boopsie. Way, way back in dinosaur times, children, when Doonesbury’s only venue was still Trudeau’s college newspaper (I think), there was one strip in which Boopsie emitted a particularly egregious piece of airheadedness, to which BD replied, “Don’t ever change, Boopsie.” (The line was later used as the title for a collection, which I don’t own so can’t check my accuracy.) She said “Okay!” And for many years, she didn’t. But for some time now, she has been growing quietly into an adult with opinions. BD, like some viewers, failed to notice for a while.
How many here are current or former SCA-folk? My hand is raised.
How many here are current or former taxi-dancers? My hand is raised. Not kidding.
Lady Arixa
ChiehHsia almost 16 years ago
TDMerrittPE - are you the TDMerritt who’s a structural engineer? Hey from Oklahoma City (but no longer at Tinker)
ChiehHsia almost 16 years ago
Lord Roger St. Neot de Blaise here, of Ansteorra. (inactive just now but might resurrect soon)
bmnot almost 16 years ago
Oh give me a break.
Does Trudeau talk about the brave men who actually do the raping?
Did Melissa get raped by natural causes?