Cartoon of the Day: It's Complicated

The Daily Tribune - May 8, 1984

With the passing of L. Brooks Patterson, the longest-serving Oakland County Executive, many people in the metro area are thinking about his complicated legacy. A champion of Oakland County and proud of the team of professionals he recruited who guided the county to financial stability and growth, he was a controversial - often divisive - figure as well. My relationship with him was complicated too. Beginning in May of 1984, he never hesitated to let me know if he disagreed with one of my editorial cartoons. He never complained about them - he just let me know I was wrong.

That said, he also appreciated the role of editorial cartoonists - he even had a couple of my originals; and I was always happy to support The Rainbow Connection, the children's charity he founded in 1985.

And it gets more complicated. As a corporate communications director for Tier 1 automotive suppliers from the late 1990s until 2017, I worked closely with him and his team on economic development and international business issues in Oakland County. He was a sincere and enthusiastic supporter of Oakland County businesses.

L. Brooks Patterson was one of a kind - and that certainly means different things to different people. One thing's for sure - it's going to be different without him. Especially for one local editorial cartoonist.
That's the Point!