Doonesbury Creator Loses Activist Spirit

Generation X mourns the passing of a lifelong friend. Garry Trudeau was an important guiding voice as we developed our identities. He consistently demonstrated that, although times change, an older generation’s ideals continue to be relevant to our lives.

With the Nov. 7 Doonesbury strip, this respected guide and mentor is officially deceased. In his place stands yet another elder telling us that change can only come by doing things the way they have always been done.

The first symptom may have been Trudeau’s often uncharitable portrayals of the children of his founding characters. The situation became serious when he had Mike Doonesbury “come out” as a Republican convert. The end came painfully on Tuesday morning, when Trudeau’s endorsement of the “lesser of two evils” approach to politics showed him to have completely lost touch with the activist spirit.

MICHAEL P. HICKEY

Los Angeles