Cristina Jimenez

Newsday Makes Fun of Hate Crimes

Only a week after the one-year anniversary of Marcelo Lucero's murder, Newsday, Long Island's major newspaper, ran a Mallard Fillmore comic strip that made reference to hate crimes. Here's the cartoon:

Newsday's decision to run this cartoon was not sensible. In September, the Southern Poverty Law Center released a report showing that Latino immigrants in Long Island are a constant target of violent attacks.

Ted Hesson, website editor of Long Island Wins, contacted Newsday's editors. Here's Newsday response:

We expect the cartoons we publish, many of which are nationally syndicated, to amuse, stir, and entertain, but never to offend. Hate crime a serious issue and this cartoon should never have run.

Despite the complaints of many readers, Newsday has not run an apology in the newspaper.

The fight against hate had a major victory last week when Lou Dobbs left CNN. But the publication of this cartoon shows that the fight is not over. Rather than encouraging a culture of hate that has had severe implications on Long Island, Newsday can choose to be a sensible voice in the process of eradicating a culture of hate.

Read the rest of the story at Long Island Wins

Images provided under Fair Use doctrine.

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Posted at 1:00 PM, Nov 18, 2009 in Immigration
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