Univ. of Arizona paper apologizes for anti-gay cartoon
The Daily Wildcat, a student newspaper for the University of Arizona, said the staff was sorry for publishing a comic strip that offended its readers. The illustration featured a father threatening to kill his son if he ever came out as gay. The editor issued an apology which read in part:
“The ‘etc.’ cartoon in question illustrated a parent threatening their child if he ever came out, and the two characters joke about the threat. We agree with the criticism we’ve met, and we apologize. The comic was not funny.
“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.”
Other examples of the ”etc.” cartoonist’s drawings, as published on Facebook, show a body of work which specializes in button-pushing topics. The creator, D.C. Parsons, wrote on Twitter:
“Had to write my first public apology for the paper for my comic on Tuesday. Woops!!!”
In that apology, Parsons said the strip was meant to be a joking reflection of a childhood experience:
“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 do sincerely apologize and sympathize with anyone who may be offended by my comics, …. 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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