AZ student cartoonist fired for derogatory LGBT cartoon
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D.C. Parsons, a student cartoonist at The Daily Wildcat, has been fired and the student paper is apologizing after running a cartoon (during LGBT History Month) that depicts a father and son laughing at a derogatory joke. The cartoon depicts a father telling his son that if he ever comes out of the closet that he’d shoot him, roll him in a carpet and throw him off a bridge. The son replies,“Well I guess that’s what you call a ‘Fruit Roll-Up!’”. The last panel has both characters laughing.
A petition has been started to have the paper’s editor fired.
The editor-in-chief has apologized stating:
On Tuesday, the Daily Wildcat staff made a serious error in judgment in printing a cartoon that some readers felt was homophobic and inappropriate. We heard from several readers who expressed their disappointment and hurt over the comic strip.
The Arizona Daily Wildcat is now reviewing its editorial policies and has terminated the employment of the cartoonist as of Wednesday. His views do not represent the views of the Wildcat staff, nor does the Wildcat represent the views of the university.
Printing the comic strip was a failure to weigh the perspectives and experiences of others. We regret our mistake, and that we cannot take back the damage it has caused. We’re sorry.
The cartoonist has also apologized for the comic entitled “etc.”:
My name is D.C. Parsons, and I would like to formally apologize to anyone who I may have offended in my comic “etc.” on Tuesday. The comic was not intended to offend. The desired end means of my work is solely humorous.
It was based on an experience from my childhood. My father is a devout conservative from a previous generation, and I believe he was simply distraught from the fact that I had learned (from “The Simpsons”) what homosexuality was at such a young age.
I have always used humor as a coping mechanism, much like society does when addressing social taboos. I do not condone these things; I simply don’t ignore them. I do sincerely apologize and sympathize with anyone who may be offended by my comics (I am often similarly offended by “Ralph and Chuck”), but keep in mind it is only a joke, and what’s worse than a joke is a society that selectively ignores its problems.
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