MsJag4Jag
Moderator
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/1216539
Jan. 18, 2002, 9:51AM
A&M student paper blasted for printing cartoon called racist
By RON NISSIMOV
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
The Texas A&M University student newspaper is being criticized for publishing an editorial cartoon that some students describe as "blatantly racist."
The cartoon, drawn by an anonymous student who uses the pen name "The Uncartoonist," ran in the Battalion newspaper Monday and depicts a black mother scolding her son for flunking a class. Both the mother and the son have big eyes and frowning, large lips -- caricatures historically used to denigrate blacks.
The overweight mother -- holding a spatula in her left hand and wearing an apron and curlers -- points to her son with her right hand and says, "If you ain't careful you gonna end up doing airport security."
The slouching son -- his belly sticking out from his short shirt -- is holding and staring at his "report card," which has a large letter "F."
A black student organization at the school is demanding that the Battalion formally apologize for publishing the cartoon.
"The attire and speech of the mother were stereotypically exaggerated and historically characteristic of the bigoted cartoon portrayal of African-Americans in an era that we presumed was bygone," said a statement released this week by the African-American Student Coalition. The group called the cartoon "blatantly racist."
Battalion editor Mariano Castillo said in a statement, "I stand behind my decision to run the cartoon."
"The cartoon was not meant to be interpreted as racist," the statement said. "The intent was simply to illustrate the concern that a high school diploma is not required to protect our nation's airports."
Castillo said in a telephone interview that the "race issue came up" during an editorial meeting before the cartoon was published, but the decision was made to run it.
Besides seeking a written apology from the paper, the African-American Student Coalition urged the administration to "act upon any objectionable material featured in the Battalion."
In a letter published in the Battalion on Thursday, A&M President Ray Bowen wrote that he would not "challenge" the independence of the student-run newspaper, which gets $20,000 a year from the university and derives 98 percent of its $1 million annual budget from selling advertising.
However, Bowen also wrote that the cartoon "clearly played on negative stereotypes of African-Americans."
"I do wish to tell you how greatly I deplore the messages conveyed by this cartoon, which casts doubt on whether we are truly a welcoming place for all people," Bowen wrote.
A&M officials have for many years been trying to shed the image some have that the school is inhospitable to minorities. Many minority students have said they do not fit in at the school because of its relatively low number of minorities and its traditions stemming from its past as an all-white, all-male military academy.
This fall, 80 percent of the school's 44,000 students are white, 10 percent are Hispanic and 3 percent are black.
Bereket Bisrat, a sophomore from Houston who is a spokesman for A&M's African-American Student Coalition, said the school's image of being inhospitable to minorities is inaccurate but that occurrences such as the cartoon incident reinforce the misperception.
He said black students on campus were outraged but that no demonstrations were planned at this point. He said that may change if no apology is forthcoming. He said he was heartened by Bowen's letter.
Bisrat also said he planned to meet with Castillo on Thursday night. The editor would not comment on whether the newspaper might issue an apology after meeting with Bisrat.
"They don't need to apologize to the African-American Student Coalition," Bisrat said. "They need to apologize to everyone who was offended."
Castillo said no advertisers have voiced concern and that reaction among students has been "mixed."
Bill Perry, A&M executive associate provost, said "things are much different" than when he started teaching at the school 30 years ago, explaining that the school has made big strides in welcoming minorities.
He said Bowen has taken a proactive approach by undertaking studies of A&M's minority students, making dormitories more hospitable to minorities and offering a wider variety of ethnic studies classes.
This week, more than 800 black student university leaders from the Southwest are attending an annual conference hosted at A&M for the last 14 years, Perry said.
Jan. 18, 2002, 9:51AM
A&M student paper blasted for printing cartoon called racist
By RON NISSIMOV
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
The Texas A&M University student newspaper is being criticized for publishing an editorial cartoon that some students describe as "blatantly racist."
The cartoon, drawn by an anonymous student who uses the pen name "The Uncartoonist," ran in the Battalion newspaper Monday and depicts a black mother scolding her son for flunking a class. Both the mother and the son have big eyes and frowning, large lips -- caricatures historically used to denigrate blacks.
The overweight mother -- holding a spatula in her left hand and wearing an apron and curlers -- points to her son with her right hand and says, "If you ain't careful you gonna end up doing airport security."
The slouching son -- his belly sticking out from his short shirt -- is holding and staring at his "report card," which has a large letter "F."
A black student organization at the school is demanding that the Battalion formally apologize for publishing the cartoon.
"The attire and speech of the mother were stereotypically exaggerated and historically characteristic of the bigoted cartoon portrayal of African-Americans in an era that we presumed was bygone," said a statement released this week by the African-American Student Coalition. The group called the cartoon "blatantly racist."
Battalion editor Mariano Castillo said in a statement, "I stand behind my decision to run the cartoon."
"The cartoon was not meant to be interpreted as racist," the statement said. "The intent was simply to illustrate the concern that a high school diploma is not required to protect our nation's airports."
Castillo said in a telephone interview that the "race issue came up" during an editorial meeting before the cartoon was published, but the decision was made to run it.
Besides seeking a written apology from the paper, the African-American Student Coalition urged the administration to "act upon any objectionable material featured in the Battalion."
In a letter published in the Battalion on Thursday, A&M President Ray Bowen wrote that he would not "challenge" the independence of the student-run newspaper, which gets $20,000 a year from the university and derives 98 percent of its $1 million annual budget from selling advertising.
However, Bowen also wrote that the cartoon "clearly played on negative stereotypes of African-Americans."
"I do wish to tell you how greatly I deplore the messages conveyed by this cartoon, which casts doubt on whether we are truly a welcoming place for all people," Bowen wrote.
A&M officials have for many years been trying to shed the image some have that the school is inhospitable to minorities. Many minority students have said they do not fit in at the school because of its relatively low number of minorities and its traditions stemming from its past as an all-white, all-male military academy.
This fall, 80 percent of the school's 44,000 students are white, 10 percent are Hispanic and 3 percent are black.
Bereket Bisrat, a sophomore from Houston who is a spokesman for A&M's African-American Student Coalition, said the school's image of being inhospitable to minorities is inaccurate but that occurrences such as the cartoon incident reinforce the misperception.
He said black students on campus were outraged but that no demonstrations were planned at this point. He said that may change if no apology is forthcoming. He said he was heartened by Bowen's letter.
Bisrat also said he planned to meet with Castillo on Thursday night. The editor would not comment on whether the newspaper might issue an apology after meeting with Bisrat.
"They don't need to apologize to the African-American Student Coalition," Bisrat said. "They need to apologize to everyone who was offended."
Castillo said no advertisers have voiced concern and that reaction among students has been "mixed."
Bill Perry, A&M executive associate provost, said "things are much different" than when he started teaching at the school 30 years ago, explaining that the school has made big strides in welcoming minorities.
He said Bowen has taken a proactive approach by undertaking studies of A&M's minority students, making dormitories more hospitable to minorities and offering a wider variety of ethnic studies classes.
This week, more than 800 black student university leaders from the Southwest are attending an annual conference hosted at A&M for the last 14 years, Perry said.
