The editor of the Arizona Wildcat, the student newspaper of the University of Arizona, apologized yesterday for a cartoon which joked about a father killing his gay son.
Wrote editor-in-chief Kristina Bui:
On Tuesday, the Daily Wildcat staff made a serious error in judgment in printing a cartoon that some readers felt was homophobic and inappropriate. We heard from several readers who expressed their disappointment and hurt over the comic strip.
The Arizona Daily Wildcat is now reviewing its editorial policies and has terminated the employment of the cartoonist as of Wednesday. His views do not represent the views of the Wildcat staff, nor does the Wildcat represent the views of the university.
The “etc.” cartoon in question illustrated a parent threatening their child if he ever came out, and the two characters joke about the threat. We agree with the criticism we’ve met, and we apologize. The comic was not funny.
Commenters to Bui's apology seem to mostly agree with one commenter, Andrew Simpson, who calls on the editorial board to resign:
You still do not seem to understand. The problem is not that "some readers felt" the cartoon was inappropriate. The problem is that you knowingly let your paper promote violent hate. You then published a cowardly non-apology along with an incoherent defense from the cartoonist. The readership cannot continue to trust editors after such a spectacular and public series of mistakes. You, the editorial board, can only really end this by resigning.
Nearly 5,000 folks on change.org feel the same way.
