September 2005 || Irresponsible and Insensitive Reporting by The Independent Alligator:

Racial Tensions at the University of Florida, Gainesville

The Issues/Chain of Events:

1) The Alligator Cartoon – Tues Sept 13^th: Kanye West is holding a joker card with a black face as the joker, and the card is labeled “The Race Card.” He is standing next to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The bubble over Rice’s head contains the words: “Ni@@a Please!”

Please note that this was not the only insensitive cartoon surrounding Hurricane Katrina: One depicts New Orleans with black people looting and shooting each other, and the caption says “Mother Nature or Human Nature.” Another depicts black people drowning in New Orleans with President George W. Bush saying “My Bad.” Combine these with very little coverage of New Orleans in this paper.

2) Despite the outcry from the UF and Gainesville community against the cartoon, The Alligator refuses to apologize, and in fact, the cartoonist and the editor continue to assert even more racist and disturbing comments in The Gainesville Sun. Many letters from UF student leaders, faculty, and administration are submitted to local newspapers and to The Alligator (some are printed, most are not).

* Thursday, Sept 15^th, student leaders from several Black Organizations on campus meet with Dean of Students and VP for Student Affairs, which results in an open letter to the UF community published in The Gainesville Sun from the VP expressing concern over the cartoon and the need for responsible reporting.

* Friday Sept 16^th – Protest March to The Alligator (over 50 students).

3) Monday Sept 19^th - Reprinting of Cartoon with “Ni@@a” removed, and this in its place: “as per the cultural standard of African-American entertainers deriding each other using a racial and/or ethnic context, I would like to address you in the same way. You are a rapper who constantly uses terminology degrading to the African- American community. I am an African American and close friends with President Bush; hence, Bush does not hate black people. Please.”

Alongside this, the editorial is sarcastic and arrogant, with a clear statement that they will not apologize. The editorial tries to “call out” the black community at UF for supporting black entertainers who use the n-word, and also asks the UF administration if they find the n-word to be the problem then they should not support black entertainers like Wayne Brady, Charlie Murphy, and Kanye West coming to campus.

* An official response from UF President Machen printed in The Alligator on the opposite page with the reprint of the cartoon. But the editorial completely dismisses his letter and his call for an apology.

* Speak Out Monday - Demonstration & Protest March w/ UF administration & faculty, SG President & VP, and many students from several organizations on campus – over 100 students participated.

4) Tuesday Sept 20^th - Student Government Senate passes a Resolution against The Alligator – asking for an apology, and stating that SG Administration and Executive Branches will no longer advertise with them. Additionally, an Executive Order is released urging Student Organizations, UF Administration, faculty, & staff, and local businesses to remove advertising from The Alligator.

5) Wednesday Sept 21^st – Unions of Blackness Forum on the Cartoon (WCJB TV 20 ABC affiliate covers the event and interviews students – broadcast during 11pm news) - over 100 students, faculty, & staff attend.

5) Thursday Sept 22^nd – Faculty Senate passes a similar Resolution against The Alligator.

What makes these cartoons and its aftermath so offensive, insensitive, and unacceptable?

• Dismay, Shock, and Anger over the government’s inadequate response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, which has a large black population—many who could not afford to evacuate
  
  
• The mainstream media coverage that has sensationalized and paid most attention to the “lawless” black people, who are called “looters” and “criminals,” instead of focusing on the fact that people needed help – food, water, shelter, rescue, etc.
  
  
• Knowing that black people suffered (and continue to suffer) greatly in this national tragedy, and in these depictions, they are made the brunt of the joke
  
  
• Problematic and insensitive use of the n-word, BUT EVEN MORE troubling: the implication of “The Race Card” – trivializes and dismisses the seriousness of what has happened in New Orleans
  
  
• Regardless of what your perspective is on the use of the n-word or Kanye West’s comments, the images used in these cartoons are derogatory, traffic in stereotypes, and reduce the complex issues of race and class to literally a joke

Calls For Action – supported by Several Student Organizations and Student Government

(Organizations most active in these actions: Black Student Union, Black Graduate Student Organization, Give Black, National Council of Negro Women, Sistuhs Inc., Progressive Black Men, Institute of Black Culture, Jewish Student Association, NAACP UF chapter, Caribbean Student Association, African Student Union, Pride Student Union, Students Taking Action Against Racism, among an array of others.)

• Contact Kanye West and inform him of the racially tense climate on this campus – ask him to support our struggle by speaking about it and possibly not using the n-word during his performance.
• Support the Boycott of The Alligator – urge local business and all UF departments, colleges, and centers to remove all advertising from The Alligator.
• Continue writing letters to The Alligator and other local newspapers.
• Continue our demand for an apology.
• Continue to Educate the UF community about race and class issues.
• Support alternative smaller newspapers on campus as well as starting a new paper.
• Maintain solidarity in this struggle.
• Maintain Hurricane Relief Drive Efforts.
• Support the Unions of Blackness Forums, which were designed before this cartoon crises, in order to discuss issues relevant to the black community:

(Oct 11^th – “The N-Word” and Oct 26^th “Hurricane Katrina & the Racial Divide”)