San Diego, CA (special) -- An Easter-themed "BC" comic strip by syndicated cartoonist Johnny Hart has drawn the ire of editors of at least three Southern California daily newspapers. Two of the newspapers themselves were subjected to severe criticism from Jewish and Gentile readers for having run the controversial strip, while the third already had canceled "BC" because of the cartoonist's tendency towards proselytization.

The Los Angeles Times, which declined to run the controversial strip last Sunday, has announced that it is dropping "BC" from the group of cartoons it runs regularly in its Sunday comic section. Similarly, The North County Times, which circulates in San Diego County, said it would also cancel the "BC"strip. Meanwhile, the San Diego Union-Tribune said it plans to give serious consideration to either dropping the strip completely, or transferring it from the comic section to an opinion page section.

Rabbi David Frank, the spiritual leader of Temple Solel in Solana Beach and chairman of the Community Relations Committee of the United Jewish Federation, joined with CRC director Tina Friedman in writing one of many letters of protest to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Calling the Easter edition of the BC strip a "painful slight" to the Jewish community, their letter said "the strip pictures a 7-branched candelabrum (known as a menorah), a symbol closely associated with Judaism. The menorah becomes more and more tarnished as each flame burns out. The words over the 6th flame are 'It is finished.' As the final flame is extinguished, the menorah is transformed into a cross, symbolizing that Judaism is 'finished.'

"Clearly, Judaism is not finished, though many throughout history have tried to extinguish the Jewish people," their letter continued. "In the coming weeks, Jews all over the world will be observing Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) as well as Yom Ha'Atzma'ut (Israel Independence Day), potent reminders that Judaism is strong and vital, despite the attempts of many over the ages to extinguish our flame."

Rabbi Martin Lawson of Temple Emanu-El, who has been quite active in San Diego's Interreligious Council, described the cartoon strip similarly.

"The artist, Johnny Hart, appropriates the menorah, an important Jewish symbol, as being replaced by the cross which is "imbedded" in the menorah from the beginning. Through his depiction of the extinguishing of the lights of the menorah and the confusing use of multiple texts taken from various sources in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, he seeks to persuade the reader that the goal of ancient Israelite religion reached its culmination only in the birth of Christianity."

Lawson said he would "like to believe that Mr. Hart ... 'knew not what he did' in publishing this Christian triumphalist message, but I am highly skeptical that he did not intend it to convey his "supersessionist" theme, despite what he said when questioned. Your newspaper (the San Diego Union-Tribune) and Mr. Hart owe the community an apology for damaging Jewish-Christian relations which many of us are working diligently to strengthen."

In an interview with HERITAGE, Editor Karin Winner of the San Diego Union-Tribune said the newspaper had received "a lot of phone calls from readers who were offended."

"Had I seen it prior to publication, I would have pulled it," she said, explaining that comic sections are printed separately and then are bundled with the newspaper. "Several cartoonists have been crossing over the line," she added. "This is the last straw." 

The editor said she plans to talk with her staff "about how to avoid these things--eliminate them or put them on the op-ed pages."

She added: "I am very sorry for the pain we've caused. I was offended by it."

Editor Kent Davy and Managing Editor W. Russell Harris of the North County Times told HERITAGE that their newspaper was "blind-sided" by Creators Syndicate, which sends the "BC" comic strip to newspapers all over the world.

Harris said the color Sunday comics are printed independently, then sent to newspapers for inclusion with material that they produced for Sunday editions. Usually syndicates "flag" comic material that might be controversial, so newspaper editors have the opportunity to review it and determine whether it is appropriate, Harris said. But in this case, he added, the newspaper did not receive warning that Hart's strip would be controversial.

The Jewish Defense League apparently was the first organization to get wind of the contents of Hart's Easter strip. After obtaining an advance copy, it posted it on its website on April 8. JDL chairman Irv Rubin called upon other organizations to protest and for the 1,300 newspapers which carry the strip to cancel what he termed an example of "highly crude, insulting...Jew hatred."

Among those organizations which protested was the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, which in turn attracted the attention of the Associated Press. By the time the AP carried a story quoting Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Wiesenthal Center, it was nearly Easter Sunday -- too late for most newspapers to switch the comics. They either had to run the comic section with the offending material or eliminate all the Sunday comics. Neither the San Diego Union-Tribune nor the North County Times were willing to choose the latter option.

The Los Angeles Times, meanwhile, had been planning to drop the "BC" comic strip even before the Easter strip, and was able to have its comic section run without the offending material. 

Narda Zacchino, readers liaison for the Los Angeles Times, told HERITAGE "we've had concerns in the past that Johnny Hart's cartoons showed that Christianity is the only path to salvation. We have really diverse readership and nowhere in the paper do we advocate one particular religion. We have articles about religion, we have debate about religious issues but nowhere do we promote a particular religion."

On the same day that the "BC" cartoon appeared in the North County Times, there was also a long, generally positive article about so-called "Messianic Judaism," a Christian sect which uses Jewish rituals in its worship and which contends that they are "fulfilled" as Jews by their worship of Jesus -- a theme quite similar to that of the "BC" cartoon.

A headline described the Christian sect--which is generally kept at arm's distance by the Jewish community--as a "bridge" between the two faith communities. Editor Davy and Managing Editor Harris described as a coincidence the fact that the story appeared the same day as the "BC" Easter strip -- saying it was not an intentional one-two punch at established Judaism. 

Harris said the article on the "Messianic Jews" was part of a continuing series the newspaper has been running on various faiths and religious groupings. In retrospect, he said, he isn't certain how advisable it was to run this particular installment on Easter Sunday.

Rev. Glenn Allison of the San Diego Ecumenical Conference told HERITAGE that Hart and the newspapers which ran his Easter comic strip should apologize. "This crossed over an acceptable line," he said. "It is negative and degrading."

Hart, meanwhile, posted a statement on the website of Creators Syndicate Inc. Saying that critics were misinterpreting the intent of his cartoon. He said he did not mean to suggest that Christianity had replaced Judaism.

"The menorah, with its seven candles, to Jesus and the Jews, was symbolic and emblematic of many facets of Jewish life and worship," he said. "It was because of the mystical marvel of 7's--seven candlesticks, seven utterances from the cross--that I chose the menorah as part of the symbolism for my Easter Strip. 

"The Light of the World being slowly extinguished candle by candle with each utterance, His life blood flowing downward leading us into an empty tomb," he continued. "The cross, the tomb, the blood of the lamb, the wine, the bread of life: unleavened (without sin) striped and pierced. Symbols of Passover and Resurrection: Victory over Death! The message of Passover was immunity from death through the blood of the lamb. The message of Easter-the same. Jesus was called 'The Lamb of God.'"

Morris Casuto, San Diego regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, was unimpressed by Hart's statement. "Whether it was inadvertent or not by the cartoonist, the newspapers should have had the appropriate consideration for their Jewish neighbors not to have run it, " he said.

Monsignor Dennis Mikulanis, vicar for interreligious and ecumenical affairs of the Roman Catholic Diocese, said in the cartoon "It appears that the Jewish Faith, represented by the menorah, is extinguished by the death and resurrection of Christ. That might not be what Hart intended, but it is what comes across nevertheless. This is certainly not what is taught by the Catholic Church in its theology and practice, and I understand how offensive this cartoon could be to Jews."

Father Wayne Sanders of the Good Samaritan Episcopal Church asked how his fellow Christians would feel "if there were a cartoon strip depicting Mormonism coming out of the Christianity and using the Angel Moroni to depict the new Christian faith? I don't think we would be too happy."

Sanders, who is a former chairman of the San Diego Ecumenical Conference, said he believed that Hart "was trying to show Jewish roots- I don't think he saw it as the extinction of the Jews, but I understand how the rabbi (Hier) could see that. Jews are very much in the present and very much beloved to us."

Rabbi Alexis Roberts of Congregation Dor Hadash, who serves as president of the San Diego Rabbinical Association, said she felt it "sad that in order to celebrate Christianity many Christians still feel that you have to denigrate Judaism as being the first chapter in the great Christianity story." She said despite the offense, Jews should realize that "a cartoon is hardly an act of war. It is just a reminder to us there is still a lot of underlying prejudice."

Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal of Tifereth Israel Synagogue said carrying proselytizing messages in the comic section is "totally inappropriate." He pointed out that the overtly political comic strip, Doonesbury, "was taken off the comic page and put on the editorial page." If newspapers don't cancel BC outright, they ought to consider moving it to op-ed pages, he said.

Like many other rabbis, Rabbi Arnold Kopikis of Congregation Ner Tamid discussed the controversy over the comic strip with his congregants during services last Shabbat.

"We have to understand that this was not a coincidence. For many centuries at this time of year, similar things have happened." He said because comic readers often are children who are unsophisticated about religious matters, such strips can become the foundation of their thinking about Jews. "I think that is what makes it really dangerous, its appeal to children," he said.

Marty Block, San Diego regional president of the American Jewish Committee, said if there had been a cartoon attacking another religion or ethnic group, his organization would have loudly protested -- just as it now protests against this comic strip. 

Jeanna Osborn, a representative of the Baha'i Faith who serves as chair of San Diego's Interreligious Council, said the episode underscores the necessity for more "understanding and communication amongst the various religions in our community."

She said it was "unfortunate that people are insensitive to the hurt feelings of others" and suggested that the controversy would make an appropriate subject for a full-ranging discussion at the Interreligious Council's next meeting scheduled May 15.