This is an opinion cartoon with maybe a bit of satire.

Alabama Secretary of State and Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Merrill is gunning for Roy Moore. Like a sniper, he’s aiming at Moore’s strength: Homophobia.

“The country is losing its moral core because Americans are ‘preoccupied with homosexual activities’ and 'the wife swap shows’ that are on television,” he said. Merrill cites shows like Gunsmoke, Bonanza and The Andy Griffith Show as examples of shows that “promote family and culture with a father, a mother and children based on biblical teachings and biblical principles on which our nation was founded.”

Those are all great TV shows with wonderful storylines, messages and fathers, but where were the mothers? The moms were killed off before the shows even started. The dads were raising sons on their own. The one show that hinted at a respectful male-female relationship was Gunsmoke. Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty: The sheriff and the brothel madam. (Festus and Doc had anger issues, but they were also an entertaining couple.)

Bonanza was a nice family show about a rich landowner father and his three entitled sons: Adam, the moody one in black who was always on the road (selling Amway or something). Hoss, the big one. Little Joe, the cute one. And an Asian male cook named Hop Sing. Hop. Sing. No mom. No woman in the house. No questions asked.

The Andy Griffith Show is one of the greatest shows of all time. Timeless story telling, brilliant writing. Everybody was single: Andy, Barney, Aunt Bea, Opie. Goober, Gomer. The Darling boys. Ernest T. Bass. The only main character who was married (no kids that we know of): Otis, the town drunk. (Floyd the barber may have been married at one time, but only to his job.)

But anyway, back to the U.S. Senate race. Roy Moore has the anti-gay vote all wrapped up, right?

John Merrill is making a strong push. He’s raised way more money than Moore, and now he’s saddled up and going at him mano y mano. Giddyup.

Sassy says, “Just shoot me.”

Check out more cartoons by JD Crowe