Fort Worth Star-Telegram Apologizes For Bad Cartoon Amid Pressure From Alumni

[TexasTowelie]

On Thursday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram published a cartoon that is racist and transphobic. Dallas lawyer Lee Merritt called it out on Twitter, and then we posted here. Things took off, and the lack of editorial judgment touched a nerve among the newspaper’s alumni. A group of 54 former employees signed an open letter to the newly installed editor of the paper. That editor, Steve Coffman, has since written a short apology, which was posted online Monday evening and ran in print this morning. Here it is:

The editorial cartoon we ran on Oct. 18 has attracted a lot of criticism.

While we want the Star-Telegram’s editorial page to showcase opinions from divergent points of view, we also strive to maintain a high level of respect and quality of thought.

The cartoon we published on Oct. 18 did not fulfill that aspiration. I take full responsibility and apologize for the decision to publish it.

Moving forward, we will work harder to maintain the highest standards of sensitivity and fairness on our pages that the readers of the Star-Telegram expect.

The open letter was penned by historian and author Michael Phillips, a reporter in Fort Worth in the late 80s. Phillips says a reduced version of it will run in the Star-Telegram on Wednesday. The alumni call out the depiction of the trans woman in the cartoon as well as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (who was drawn wearing a headdress), saying the former “reduced the entire community to a punchline” while the latter “is nothing more than redface minstrelsy.”

Read more: https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2018/10/star-telegram-apologizes-for-bad-cartoon-amid-pressure-from-alumni/

[TwistOneUp]

1. Pity they don't have a guide to Snake-Oil Salesmen...

With names and pictures of the top ten evangelist preachers.

[Paladin]

2. Low rent, even by the Startlegram's low standards.

Lame-ass apology doesn't help matters.