Thursday, September 22, 2005 1:00 a.m.

Cartoon backlash incites new debate

By EMILY YEHLE
Alligator Writer

Last week I ran a cartoon that has gotten more attention than I ever expected.

Sure, I get responses every day that criticize and support the cartoons and columns I place on this page.

The Alligator's cartoonist, Andy Marlette, has a knack for pushing people's buttons when he illustrates his political and social commentary.

But in the past, most of the backlash fell on the Opinions section. I knew what I was getting into when I accepted this position, and I'm happy to take the heat.

I answer every call. I respond to every e-mail that poses a question. I welcome readers into my office to talk about their concerns.

This time, however, emotions are high enough that people are harassing the Alligator's reporters and news editors.

To make it clear: The news section of this paper had nothing to do with the decision to publish the infamous cartoon. Marlette drew it, and I made the decision to run it. The editor and managing editor of the paper gave it a final approval.

The rest of the Alligator staff saw it for the first time when it appeared in the Sept. 13 paper. And they have no say in this section's response to the protests. If some students paint the Opinions section as racist, they cannot use the same brush for our entire paper.

I understand that some students and Gainesville residents are offended. I regret that it hurts those who remember it from the days when it was used as a weapon. I hate that, in some places, it is still used as a derogatory term.

I am most saddened by the apparent mistrust black students have of our paper. I promise that we do welcome diversity, and we know that more student interaction can only improve this publication. It was never our intent to hurt, only to provoke discussion.

That said, I do not believe the cartoon was racist, and I think it made a salient point.

If I had held it back originally, it would have been to avoid this aftermath. That is a poor way to run a newspaper, especially the Opinions section of a newspaper. Opinion faces touchy issues. Opinion hopes to provoke thought and discussion. Opinion is opinion.

And make no mistake: We are a student newspaper, but we are a newspaper nonetheless.

I will not retract something because people misinterpret it.

I agree that a newspaper that is not run by students would probably hold off on running such a cartoon. They would wait until the word did not hold such power.

However, we are young, and we have the ability to forego the ideas and stereotypes that are imprinted on an older generation's mind. It's the younger generation that has recycled this controversial term into something completely different. And yes, it's primarily used by popular culture and media; not all of the black community uses it. The cartoon put Kanye West's words into Condoleezza's mouth purposefully.

A newspaper's role is not to correct society by ignoring society; a newspaper benefits society by commenting on society.

Of course, the cartoon's meaning has been somewhat buried under all the baggage of its language. It is unfortunate that the discussion it was meant to spark is almost nonexistent. Most of us have ignored whether Kanye West's comments rang true, and whether Condoleezza Rice has really made a step forward for the average black American.

However, I think the conversation that is taking place is perhaps even more important.

Why are so many offended when the word is simply printed? Why does the context in which it's used have no effect? Should blacks be able to use it because they are "flipping" its meaning? Should whites be barred from using it because their families have not suffered under its oppression?

I can't answer these questions alone. I can only try to stir the conversation by printing a cartoon like Marlette's.

Emily Yehle is a journalism senior. She is the Opinions editor.

Thursday, September 22, 2005 1:00 a.m.

Hasty acts
Joe Goldberg makes damaging decision

The topic of today's editorial is close to home.

However, with Student Government elections coming up, we feel it must be addressed.

At Tuesday's Senate meeting, Student Body President Joe Goldberg issued an executive order prohibiting all SG agencies from advertising in the Alligator.

We know we may not be able to step back from this enough to judge it in the right context. But we are the main newspaper covering the university, and we're going to take a shot at it.

A section of the student body is upset. Somehow, that has snowballed into SG deciding to remove itself from the entire student population.

This move could be much more disastrous for UF students than for the Alligator. We'll take the bullet, but students shouldn't be hit in an all-encompassing drive-by.

Goldberg's haste has punished the uninvolved. To find out what their tuition is buying, students will be forced to search online and around campus for SG events, rather than open up a readily available newspaper.

We're not sure anyone will put in the effort.

And does this mean SG agencies will also be told not to speak to Alligator reporters about upcoming events?

If so, we're sorry that the Alligator's news stories will lack the views and information from the SG officials that organize these student-funded activities.

If not, we're confused as to why it's OK to attempt to put the Alligator out of business while contributing to the content that advertising financially supports.

But don't get us wrong. We'd rather they cut their advertisements and talk to reporters than not talk at all.

It irks us even more that Goldberg, the one student who makes decisions on our behalf, has decided to break student statutes to make his point.

He wants to take away all SG advertisements from the Alligator, but the statutes state that certain notices be placed in "the newspaper with the greatest circulation among University of Florida students."

Goldberg's assertion that the UF Wednesday update and the SG Web site can fill this role is simply incorrect.

If SG wanted to make this move, they should have changed the statutes. That way, Goldberg would not have broken the SG rules, and officials would have had more time to think about making this big decision.

Furthermore, senators would have had a say. We can't tell how many were for this move and how many were against it. Goldberg announced his decision; he didn't ask for senators' advice. When statutes are changed, however, the Student Senate has to vote.

We don't know if Goldberg knew he was breaking rules, but this isn't the first time he has shown a disregard for the laws that uphold Student Government. When he was Senate President last Fall, Goldberg made several questionable moves.

At one Senate meeting, he allowed a second meeting to convene directly afterward, despite a Florida statute that says "reasonable notice" should be given for all such open, public meetings.

At another session, several senators accused Goldberg of manipulating Senate procedure in an effort to stop a certain candidate from being voted in as president for Student Government Productions.

This is not the leadership UF students need and deserve. Goldberg should be carefully considering what best suits the student body. He should not be making hasty decisions.

Goldberg's attempt to make a point has revealed his questionable knowledge as a leader.