September 21, 2005

Irresponsible and Insensitive Reporting on Hurricane Katrina

Letter to the Editor, The Alligator [c.c. The Gainesville Sun and The Guardian]

The Editorial Staff at The Alligator must have enjoyed relishing in its moment of “calling out” the black community on its use of the n-word. Perhaps you thought that this would keep us quiet. Perhaps you know feel justified in your refusal to apologize, your blatant disregard for peaceful protests, your continued silence and lack of response to many letters that articulate SEVERAL reasons why the offensive cartoon from Tuesday September 13^th and OTHERS have been derogatory and insensitive. Perhaps you cannot understand the complexity of institutionalized racism in the United States, or the social injustice and inequity that many people of color face in this country everyday. Perhaps you don’t have to because you are in a position of privilege at a predominantly white University where you don’t have to face any challenges to the white hegemonic capitalist world that serves you well. Perhaps this is why your cartoonist can make offensive and racist statements that homogenize black people and reduce black culture to popular culture. As I have received no response from my first TWO letters to you, I write to you a THIRD time asking you to seriously reflect upon the REASONS why so many students, faculty, staff, administration, and members of the Gainesville community may be offended by your continued support of this cartoon. These are my reasons, but I assure you that I am not alone in these thoughts, reflections, and perspectives:

1) Many people are in dismay and shock over the U.S. 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. All of the cartoons dealing with Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath have been disturbing, insensitive, and simply inappropriate.

2) The mainstream media coverage sensationalized and paid most attention to the “lawless” black people, who were called “looters” and “criminals,” instead of focusing on the fact that people needed help – food, water, shelter, rescue, etc. And there are MANY more stories of black people helping each other, supporting each other, saving each other, but these are not the stories that make headlines.

3) A large number of the people who died and suffered in New Orleans were in fact black people. And those who have survived have lost loved ones and are displaced indefinitely, and continue to suffer greatly in this national tragedy. These depictions have made the survivors during their time of greatest need the brunt of your joke. During this time of tragedy, your paper could have been reporting news, telling stories, and helping the UF Community to understand what was happening, but instead you were irresponsible and insensitive to everyone involved.

4) Cartoons and Editorials are certainly not the best forums to discuss the problems associated with using the n-word. And your arrogance only displays your ignorance concerning these complex issues of language, re-appropriation of hateful words, race, and history.

5) The decision to reprint the cartoon without the n-word only reveals further your insensitivity and irresponsibility, because as others have pointed out, the ENTIRE cartoon is the problem. I will reiterate the main concern stated in my other letters: what is MOST disturbing here is “The Race Card” used as a joker. Once again, the implication of “playing the race card” trivializes and dismisses the seriousness of what has happened in New Orleans.

6) Regardless of what your perspective is on the use of the n-word or Kanye West’s comments, the images used in this cartoon and others are derogatory, traffic in stereotypes, and reduce the complex issues of race and class to literally a joke.

Since this is by no means the first time you have continuously offended groups of students at UF, I can safely assume that you aim to continue this behavior (especially since you can ignore and dismiss the UF President, other administrators, faculty, students, and community leaders so easily). And if your goal is to produce ineffective, irresponsible and insensitive material that alienates, offends, and hurts your audience, then I suppose you are well on your way.

Angelique V. Nixon, Ph.D. Student

Black Graduate Student Organization, President 2005-06