This image was the center of controversy some weeks back. It was printed on the front cover of the Daily Texan. The article was talking about the University of Texas's decisions to cut back funding for ethnic studies (though that wasn't the only thing the University had to cut back on). This image showing the president of the University and his coworker in KKK garb brought about an uproar from both sides. Some saying that it should be allowed because it is relevant and freedom of speech. Others saying that it is a severe miss at an analogy because a lot of horrible things happened at the hands of the KKK, and cutting funding for a school should not be comparable to the other horrendous acts. I think the school paper, The Daily Texan could've put the image in the paper, just not on the front page. Front page is seen by anyone who comes in contact with the newspaper, accidently or on purpose. At least if the image is put on page 3 or whatever it won't offend as many people because people got to that page with some prior knowledge of the article and see what is coming.
Whose fault is it that the image caused such an uproar? The Daily Texan, for printing the image on the front page, or the University for making necessary cuts to multiple programs.
I agree with your point of how the cartoon could have been placed on Page 3 as opposed to the front page of the newspaper.
ReplyDeletePlacement is everything in newspapers and magazines, it's something I'm surprised they didn't take into consideration.
With that point aside, I do feel that this cartoon was a bit much for the joke they were trying to make. At the end of the day, anything can be seen as offensive to people, but with that being said anything with the KKK tag to it, will definitely bring nothing but trouble with it!
It just screams out how terribly the PR unit of the company is for the Daily Texan. Although I could care less for the ethnic funding cuts. (Since the state is going through state-wide budget cuts) It's blatantly disrespectful for a paper to choose a controversial image and have it for a cover. Maybe by taking time in a PR class again they'll rediscover beneficial PR habits again.
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