America Needs Cartoonists, Illustrators, Screenwriters and Actors Now
By Alfred Johnson, Jr.

Robert Mueller is scheduled to testify before Congress this week. Guest columnist Alfred Johnson offers his ideas on how to prepare the nation for his testimony by introducing people to the report which has been published but is receiving little attention outside of CNN, MSNBC, Democratic leaders, and the president's major critics. 

Mueller, I get it. Testifying about 400- page plus report is a dreadful fate. The thought of nonsensical and nasty questions from a Republican congressperson does not give the warm and fuzzies. Likewise, Speaker Pelosi needs significant public support to begin a formal impeachment inquiry but only has an over 400 pages narrative document that most of America will not read. Hey, it’s not the Hunger Games, the Avengers or Harry Potter. Somehow, both Pelosi and Mueller want the public to generally support a report that most will not read. Could the public get more information about the Mueller Report without wading through it? The answer is YES.

The Mueller Report has to be converted to other forms/formats of communication to expand its audience. Yeah, I know that the NY Times printed the executive summary of the report and the PBS News/Hour is doing TV summary of the report. However, this is not enough and will not reach the amount of people necessary to effect public opinion and apathy. I am talking about a graphic book or comic book rendering of the report, TV or streaming dramatization of the report and Cliff Notes of the report and make the report required summer reading for freshman college students and high school juniors and seniors.

I am not crazy. My proposal has been used, in the past, to communicate difficult and noteworthy civic subjects. The 9/11 Commission had a graphic book created of its report. In Watergate, CBS did a two- part special on Watergate called the Watergate Caper. Television shows such a “You Are There”, “School House Rock” and recently the “Last Week Tonight” and the movie “The Big Short” demonstrate the power of the dramatization or animation of historical events and complicated concepts. I am sure that Boss Tweed wished that Thomas Nast only did Santa cartoons. Many universities have required books for freshman to read before the first semester and extend these books to alumni to make them a part of the university’s experience. Recently, Walter Issacson stated he was assigning the report to all of his Tulane University classes. Once enough schools assign it as required reading, Cliff Notes will follow.

Other formats will expand the public’s knowledge of the report. This will lead to more discussion of it in barber shops, hair salons, water coolers, and other places. They might demand town hall meetings with their congresspersons or senators on it.

The President’s possible criminal and illegal acts have placed a strain on this country and its governance. The country now faces a difficult 18 months of social and political unrest and upheaval because of his conduct. The constitution’s sole remedy is impeachment. However, impeachment is a 18th Century procedure designed for long thoughtful deliberations and slow actions. It is not of our century. The impatient 21st Century desires lighting thoughts, communications and actions. However, you cannot tweet articles of impeachment. We must use creative ideas to bridge this gap so the public can come to an informed consensus. Then, this country can come together and make the difficult decisions required. If necessary, they can pressure their representatives to do what must be done. This will only occur when a large number of persons are familiar and understand the Mueller Report. So, we need actors, illustrators, screenwriters and cartoonists to make this report digestible for the public to do its job.

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