Posted on 11/13/2004 6:26:49 AM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
In a recent comic strip in the Daily Illini, a student says he wants to tell a "Jew joke'' but decides not to because he doesn't want "Isiah down at the bank to beat me with his nose.''
That cartoon in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's student newspaper has caused such an uproar that the paper has apologized and suspended the cartoonist, Matt Vroom, along with the editor who approved the strip.
In the apology, editor in chief Evan McLaughlin, of Palatine, said even though Vroom "did not intend for the comic to degrade Jewish people or Judaism, we understand that the content was offensive to those concerned.''
In an interview, McLaughlin said Vroom's attempt at poking fun at stereotypes didn't work.
"We realized this doesn't come off as satire,'' said McLaughlin, 21. "It comes off as hate speech.''
McLaughlin said the punishment might have been harsher --a one-month suspension for Vroom, two weeks for the editor -- if the strip hadn't been placed in the paper accidentally. In fact, the strip was rejected for publication but was left in a folder with other cartoons. A student filling in for several editors out of town at a journalism conference saw it and ran it.
Still, some who saw the strip are pushing for the paper to fire Vroom, who has written the "i hate pam'' comic since last August.
"Universities have a special responsibility to be opening minds and to be setting examples,'' said Gail Steinberg, a 1969 U. of I. graduate and the former executive producer of the Ricki Lake talk show. "Four weeks' suspension seems like pittance.''
School has no power over paper
U. of I. spokesman Jeff Unger agreed the newspaper "should have gone further in distancing itself from the cartoon, which recalls . . . blatant anti-Semitism,'' but said the university has no power over the paper. The Daily Illini receives no funds from the school. Although students and faculty make up its governing board, the student editors run the show.
"We don't micromanage,'' said Susan Cohen, an associate business professor who is president of the Illini Media Co. board. "They are learning to be journalists. You have to let them learn.''
Cohen said she thought the paper's quick response to the situation was appropriate. She was "dismayed,'' however, by several student letters to the editor that defended the strip.
One student, Krzysztof Ciupka, wrote that Vroom "makes fun of everyone and everything . . . I don't see how having a joke playing off of stereotypes is grounds for this sort of attack.''
Vroom's strip has poked fun at sorority women, Democrats and Republicans, lesbians, even Jesus. It often depicts students having sex and contains foul language. But McLaughlin said the latest strip was the only one that was "definitely past the line.''
The only good reason to subscribe back in the late 80's was so we could read Bloom County every day.
Is this what passes for humor there? I'm ashamed.
He's not a mascot. Calling him a mascot demeans his honor and purpose.
I've never seen a gap in faculty/student quality like I have with UIC. The faculty is world-class, but the students are mediocre at best and largely commuters. I'd say only UCLA is a better branch campus.
So no joy there.
Good riddance...
Correct. It's a shame.
A suspension for that one would be fine for me.
Words are sometimes in poor taste. We all have to be bigger than that. Racist and anti-semite remarks are hate words, but they are just words. It is ignorance that causes these feelings against others.
"Mike Vroom"? Suuuuure - I'm satisfied that's his real last name. Either that or the magic mushroom told Mom and Dad to go forth and change their surname.
Oops - "Matt" Vroom. That sounds more realistic ;)
Text book illustration of 'The slippery slope'. Instead of abiding at a reasonable center position the media is always dancing on the edge. One mistep and thousands of readers are treated to hate speech or needlessly revolting images and opinions.
The idget is a small scaly subterranean creature found generally in areas inhabited by leftists. It is an omnivore and nocturnal in nature. While generally considered harmless in large groups they have been know to attack, so caution is advised in dealing with them.
Genius idgetus minor
Recent fossil discoveries have show that in Precambrian age there was a larger (346 cm length 29 kg.) version that may have been carnivious.
Fire his bigotted ass from the fishwrap and then toss him out of school for a hate crime.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.