
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 26, 1990                   TAG: 9004260556
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FEELING HIS OATS/ QUAKERS NO FRIENDS OF POPEYE

"I'M STRONG to the finish 'cause I eats me spinach," sings Popeye the Sailor Man. For generations he's been held up as a model for youngsters, an incentive to down the nutritious greens that don't tickle every palate. But the Religious Society of Friends now says he's a bad example, a roughneck and brawler. And his lady friend, the spindly, squeaky Olive Oyl, is too submissive.

For lo these many years, the one-eyed seaman's been launching adversaries such as the loutish Bluto into outer space with his "twisker sock." What has got the Friends upset now?

Popeye the Seller Man is hawking not spinach but Instant Quaker Oatmeal. Quaker Oats Co. has no connection with the religious group, but its members often are called Quakers. They object to being associated with a cartoon character who settles disputes with his fists; that's not the Quaker way.

It's easy to sympathize with the Friends. But the truth is, if you want to criticize cartoon characters, you also could say a lot about Popeye's unique pronunciation and mangled grammar, not to mention his constant use of tobacco.

After you get through with him, there are plenty of others within his circle whose lifestyle is questionable. Wimpy is a con man who never works but looks for ways to trick others into buying him platefuls of fat-dripping hamburgers. Poopdeck Pappy, Popeye's father, is an obnoxious old blowhard. Swee'pea crawls around all day in his nightdress and appears determined never to grow up.

Eugene the Jeep is touched by wizardry, surely an enticement for youngsters to believe that magic will solve any of life's problems. And once you get outside Popeye's household you encounter the Sea Hag, goons and all manner of other strange and threatening creatures.

No disrespect is intended here to the Friends. They are committed people who work for peace and equality in all aspects of human relations. They are not naive, nor are they off base in wanting to protect their image - even if, in this case, it's a registered trademark belonging to someone else.

At some point, though, one can take comic strips, cartoons and the like a bit too seriously. Popeye is a figure of fun, not someone on whom children or adults pattern their behavior. It seems unlikely anyone will seriously confuse him with the black-hatted Quaker - or the religious group. Why can't they all be friends?

by CNB