UA Cartoon Uses the N-Word, and the Campus Isn’t Happy
Posted on November 11, 2008
Filed Under News, The Daily Prereq | By Jessica Gross
College campuses usually get rowdy around election day. But the University of Arizona took it to another level. The Daily Wildcat published a cartoon about campaign canvassing that uses the “N” word. Though the cartoonist, Keith Knight, defended the piece (”Is it offensive? Yes. Is it sad? Sure. But that’s the reality of the United States and this very unique election”), students, community members, and even the paper’s editor — who “never approved” the cartoon — were outraged.
The upside: UA students used the cartoon as a jumping-off point to run a student/community forum on race relations.
Individuals at the forum discussed possible actions against the Daily Wildcat, including boycotting the publication and the businesses that sponsor the publication. They also discussed potential programs that can be established for freshmen and sophomores who live in residence halls, and encouraged people to write to the Daily Wildcat to express their expectations.
The programs for students are probably more promising than making sure the Daily Wildcat is punished. But, hey — it’s a start.
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