Student newspaper
suspends cartoonA black student group objected
to the strip in the campus daily
The editors of the University of Hawaii-Manoa student newspaper were ordered to suspend publication of a cartoon called "The Opinionator," which had offended some black, gay and Jewish people on campus.
Editors at the UH-Manoa daily student newspaper met yesterday to discuss "that line between freedom of the press and journalistic responsibility," said Ka Leo O Hawaii Editor Lori Ann Saeki.
"As student journalists, I think we have this opportunity to learn from our mistakes and try to improve the content of Ka Leo," Saeki said yesterday.
In a memo on Monday, the Board of Publications, which publishes Ka Leo, directed Saeki to scrutinize content related to "diversity and cultural sensitivity issues, such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and culture." It also advised Saeki to omit "any questionable material."
The memo also directed Saeki to suspend publication of material from cartoonist Casey Ishitani pending an investigation by the board.
"He (Ishitani) is not happy," said Saeki, who had been speaking for Ishitani during the controversy. "He really did not mean to cause any harm to anyone. It's part of his learning experience as well that how what he draws can have unexpected results, unintended meanings."
An editorial cartoon last month referred to the "National Alliance of Assailants of Colored People."
The reference to the NAACP upset black students on campus who saw it as making fun of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. At a meeting last week, the black student group Power 96 demanded an apology and for the resignation of Ishitani and top editors at Ka Leo.
Another cartoon last year by Ishitani used negative references to gays and Jews.