Edmonton Journal Sorry for Anti-Semitic Cartoon
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On Aug. 1, the [Edmonton] Journal ran an editorial cartoon by veteran contributor Malcolm Mayes, which criticized the recent Capital One hack, in which the data of six million Canadians was potentially compromised, including social insurance numbers and bank account information.
“It has since been pointed out that the image of the person bears resemblance to anti-Semitic tropes prevalent in some anti-Jewish propaganda,” the paper wrote in an apology published on Aug. 9. “This resemblance was entirely unintentional, but given that association, the Edmonton Journal apologizes for the publication of the cartoon. We are re-examining the procedures we have in place to vet editorial content to avoid future such occurrences.”
The Canadian Jewish News reports:
In reality, the Capital One hacker is alleged to be Paige Thompson, a 33-year-old former Amazon software engineer who is neither Jewish nor an old man.
“We do not understand the connection Mr. Mayes is trying to make by using anti-Semitic tropes in his cartoon,” wrote Steven Shafir, president of the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, in a letter addressed to the Journal’s managing editor days after the cartoon’s initial publication.
“We are disgusted with Mr. Mayes’s cartoon, with your tacit approval of it in your willingness to publish it, or, alternatively, we are astonished by your willful blindness if you did not see the harm that this cartoon would cause.”
Mike Fegelman, the executive director of Honest Reporting Canada, which broke the story on Aug. 8, pointed out Mayes’s history of drawing anti-Israel cartoons …
… “Mayes has a track record of illustrating odious cartoons that have offended the Jewish community and supporters of Israel, and that many felt crossed the line,” Fegelman told The CJN. “As a result, we review every cartoon he creates.”
Also reporting are The Times Of Israel and Fast Forward.
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