That darn Toles

Cartoon draws unfair comparisons to the Middle East

Washington Post Thursday, May 20, 2010

If the goal of Tom Toles's May 17 cartoon comparing the division of Jerusalem with Alexandria's retrocession to Virginia was intended to trivialize the issue and distort history, he succeeded. The U.S. Congress willingly agreed to Alexandria's request to return to Virginia, which was based on economic factors and lack of representation in Congress.

In contrast, Jews have lived in Jerusalem all but two times since the days of King David, and one of these times is when Jordan ruled East Jerusalem from 1949 to 1967 and prevented Jews, regardless of nationality, from praying at the most sacred places. To compare the division of Jerusalem with the Alexandria retrocession is beyond political cartoon license -- it is really outrageous.

Beth Marcus, Washington