This week, a cartoon by Adam Zyglis featured in The Buffalo News has ignited a firestorm of controversy, leading to outrage and even death threats. The cartoon depicts a man in a MAGA hat struggling against rising floodwaters while clutching a sign that reads “Help.” In a speech bubble floating downstream, the man laments, “Gov’t is the problem, not the solution.” This satirical take on big government drew ire not only for its political undertones but also for its insensitivity given the tragic context of recent flooding in Texas that has claimed over 120 lives, including children.
In response to the backlash, a museum in Buffalo, which had planned an event showcasing Zyglis’ work, decided to postpone the gathering for safety reasons.
The Associated Press reports:
Death threats over Texas flooding cartoon force museum journalism event to be postponed
A journalism support event at the Buffalo History Museum was called off following threats against Adam Zyglis, the artist behind the controversial cartoon regarding the disastrous flooding in Texas, according to a union statement. The uproar began when the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist’s illustration was published, depicting a MAGA-hat-wearing man immersed in floodwaters. While the man raises a sign for help, his speech bubble drifts away with the message: “Gov’t is the problem, not the solution.”
The floods have tragically resulted in at least 120 deaths, with more than 170 individuals still unaccounted for.
The Buffalo Newspaper Guild announced the postponement of “Drawing Support for Local Journalism,” a happy hour event that was to take place at the museum and celebrate local journalism amidst Zyglis’ exhibit.
Below, you can find a glimpse of the cartoon along with some of the heated reactions it has provoked:
It takes a special type of evil to mock Kerrville Texas Flood victims. The message from @adamzyglis and the @TheBuffaloNews is clear: if you support @POTUS then you and your children deserve to die.
Now Zyglis is whining because he got backlash.
Gee, who could have foreseen… pic.twitter.com/MtN8wU7yJd
— Red (@MisanthropeFLA) July 11, 2025
DISGRACE: @TheBuffaloNews runs a VILE cartoon by artist Adam Zyglis, appearing to mock Texas families affected by the floods because they voted for Trump pic.twitter.com/PJkodyXFsI
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 9, 2025
Human garbage cartoonist Adam Zyglis, who works for the Buffalo News thinks its funny that over 100 people, including dozens of children lost their lives in the catastrophic floods in Texas pic.twitter.com/EI0wdshyQ8
— The Conservative Read (@theconread) July 11, 2025
How SCUMMY can one get??
So let me get this straight…
Adam Zyglis for the Buffalo News thought it was funny… to mock flood victims in Texas…28 children drowned…
105 lives lost…
And he draws a cartoon making fun of them—while they scream “HELP”? pic.twitter.com/HMSl1N7aWw
— A Gene Robinson (@AlBuffalo2nite) July 11, 2025
This incident raises a pertinent question: why do some members of the left seem to derive pleasure from mocking human tragedy? What drives such a reaction amidst suffering?
