Comments on: Non Sequitur reinstated at Beloit Daily News

By: Wiley Miller

Wiley Miller — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:21:49 +0000

I would guess that letter was sent to Sparky about 40 years ago. You wouldn’t see a racist letter like that today. But you might if you did a cartoon about gays. There’s never a shortage of morons and bigots.

By: Josh McDonald

Josh McDonald — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:23:54 +0000

“â€¦imagine a racist writing in to an editor to complain that he was offended by a comic strip?”

Well, in the Peanuts 50th Anniversary book, they do print a letter Schulz got from someone who was offended to see Franklin and Peppermint Patty in the same schoolroom together.

So it does happen.

By: Eric Burke

Eric Burke — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:59:34 +0000

Do peeps in the Klan read comics? They don’t seem like the types that would really have much of a sense of humor…

…imagine a racist writing in to an editor to complain that he was offended by a comic strip?

Again…I learn the darndest things here…

By: Dave Stephens

Dave Stephens — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:56:34 +0000

He’s no idiot based on such limited info – if the offended party has some political pull in Beloit, then his behavior is understandable considering how tenuous most papers are in regards to readership… However, without understanding his motives in any depth, his reaction sure does seem to be an extreme over-reaction. I’m sure we’ll see more of this knee-jerk fear-based censorship in the future as newspapers become increasingly marginalized and desperate to stop folks from dropping subscriptions…

By: Stacy Curtis

Stacy Curtis — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:25:20 +0000

“We heard from a number of readers who were offended, and took the cartoon to be racially insensitive.”

What? Huh?
This editor is an idiot.

By: Pab Sungenis

Pab Sungenis — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 03:36:23 +0000

And congratulations on your reinstatment getting mentioned in E&P, too, Wiley.

Ironically (for them) this dustup might end up HELPING NS in the long run! It would be nice.

By: Rich Diesslin

Rich Diesslin — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 01:40:36 +0000

If you survived it. It does have a catchy title. I think it could be a cable TV show … or adult swim maybe! Like Whose Line’s Bill Cosby and Hitler (er … I mean insurance agent).

By: Wiley Miller

Wiley Miller — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:56:09 +0000

“Although Iâ€™m sure a jihad would be declared against you and every paper that ran it.”

Sounds like a pretty effective marketing strategy!

By: Garey Mckee

Garey Mckee — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:05:24 +0000

‘Okay, so youâ€™re saying that Universal wonâ€™t pick up my new feature â€œOmar, The Unborn Confederate Muslim?â€ Censorship!’

Pab, I would read that strip every day. Although I’m sure a jihad would be declared against you and every paper that ran it.

By: Rich Diesslin

Rich Diesslin — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:29:20 +0000

Dang it Pab, I was so looking forward to that strip too! ;) Congrats on being heard and congrats to Wiley and the pressure it brought on the paper. My hunch is that they went to the woodshed only to find a role reversal. Cory, you are so right … it sounds like they are saying that the KKK in Beliot had their feeling hurt. Jeez!

I do agree it’s their paper and they can run what they want, it was the stupidity of their reasoning (or lack there of) that they are being called on. They tried to make a point, and the point was simply ridiculous. In addition they really make Wiley’s cartoon that much more powerful and read than if they had just quietly not run it one day. Go figure.