The US of A has made a lot of contributions to modern global culture, such as jazz, blues, rock ´n roll and tie dye (in that order), but for overall impact, none can compare with the great cartoons. They say the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world, and as usual, they are correct. Children all over grow up with Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse as their companions and mentors. These characters are goodwill ambassadors for America. Even the angry young leftists with the Che Guevara t-shirts have to admit that any country that can produce a lovable loser like Elmer Fudd can’t be all bad. When Dick Clark gave that award to Michael Jackson for Entertainer of the Millennium, I was unconvinced. (Quick, name three great Michael Jackson songs. Beat It is not a great song). It should have gone to (sorry, Elvis) the inimitable wizard Mel Blanc, who somehow single-handedly did all the voices for the great old Warner Bros loony ‘toons. It’s amazing how good the cartoons my mother used to watch remain today. In fact, modern cartoons don’t hold a candle to the classics. One of the great things about fatherhood is rediscovering just how hip Goofy really was. Whether he’s getting a kiss from the milkman or tiptoeing in late from a poker game, his shenanigans are sure a lot more interesting than the Japanese martial arts cartoons that are flooding the market these days. Thank the Deity for VCRs, so responsible parents such as

yours truly can bypass the TV programmers and spoon feed our impressionable children with uplifting role models like the Tasmanian Devil and Yosemite Sam. While they do have overdubbed versions in Spanish, I prefer the originals. My already Spanish speaking kids probably soak up more English from them than any other source. I recall that as a kid living in Peru, I got the hang of Spanish watching Roadrunner caricaturas. They’re not just mindless fun, they’re educational tools! I have a particular fondness for Speedy Gonzalez, since he was the subject of Sra Brady and my first (but not last) argument. She declared that, being a mouse and all, Speedy is an insult to Mexicans. Not so! I insisted. Speedy is a good guy who always wins. He never fails to outsmart, outrun or outlast Thylvethter or whoever happens to be his nemesis du jour. When the politically correct mind manipulators tried to kick Speedy off the US airwaves for being a derogatory stereotype, there was an outcry from the Hispanic community and our hero was reinstated. Now, the French might have a more legitimate grievance against Pepe le Peu, but even he is a pretty amiable type. It’s not his fault he smells like a skunk. He’s drawn that way. Anyhow, here’s to Mel Blanc and his compadres for spreading humor and laughter across this all too grim world. And here’s to Speedy Gonzalez, the famous speedster who puts Mexico on the map for children all over the planet.