The topic of racism dominated the debate of Syracuse University’s Student Association meeting on Monday night, as many members expressed anger and concern about a comic published in Monday’s issue of The Daily Orange.

The cartoon, ‘Posthumously,’ by Matt Cohen and Devin Tanchum, was seen as racially insensitive because of its depiction of a black man breaking into the home of a white man. The student response to the comic led Assemblymembers Anthony Buissereth, Geri Weinstein and SA Vice President Shawn Hardie to draft a resolution asking for a formal written apology by The D.O.and the immediate ban of The D.O.’s distribution on campus.

This problem comes just one day after stricter policies regarding comic publication were instituted by The D.O.Both Editor in Chief Tito Bottitta and Managing Editor Ashleigh Graf explained to the Assembly that the paper required all comic artists to attend a meeting Sunday night where they signed a contract agreeing not to draw racist or sexist content.

The ‘Posthumously’ strip replaced another comic that was cut by the management staff because of its racist content. ‘Posthumously,’ however, was not run through the management staff prior to its publication.

The artist responsible for the comic that ‘Posthumously’ replaced will contribute to The D.O.again, as will the artists behind ‘Posthumously.’

Jeff Passetti, The D.O.’s art director, has received both a verbal and a written warning and is now only one strike away from being terminated, Bottitta told the Assembly.

Bottitta stood before the Assembly and expressed his apologies to everyone on campus.

‘I was offended by (the comic) and we are not endorsing what the comic said,’ Bottitta added. ‘Believe me, I understand where you are coming from.’

Graf then explained that a new game will soon be added to the comics section of The D.O., which will cut back on the number of strips allowed to run and make the comics section more selective.

‘The publication of this comic was painful and offensive to me and to the entire campus,’ said Thea Montanez, the founder and president of Fashion’s Conscience, a campus organization that promotes multiculturalism in the fashion industry.

Montanez stressed that the requests being made by the student body and SA were not an issue of censorship, but rather of making sure that absolutely no member of the SU community is oppressed. She also said that her intention is not to punish the paper, but to make something positive come from such an unfortunately negative situation.

‘I was shocked at the publication of this cartoon,’ Buissereth said. ‘This is not even the first racist cartoon they’ve published this year.’

After making this comment, Buissereth referenced the cartoon ‘Brighter Side of Sunshine,’ a cartoon that ran last year and has been rerun as a ‘classic’ comic this semester. The D.O.will no longer publish the cartoon.

Buissereth also referenced The D.O’s reputation as ‘The Daily Oppressor.’ The paper received this moniker in April 1999 after publishing a cartoon depicting then-SA President Michaeljulius Idani with exaggerated, stereotypical features such as big lips. This reputation of racial insensitivity has stuck with the paper because of numerous oversights with regard to the comic section, although ‘many of the people at The D.O.and the white students on campus are not aware of The D.O.’s reputation,’ said Montanez.

‘I just shake my head,’ said SA President Colin Seale. ‘It’s happened so many times, it just rolls off my back. The D.O.doesn’t represent me and I think the comics section has to be completely revamped.’

Montanez said that anyone looking for more information on the issue of offensive content in The D.O.should attend an open forum 6 p.m. Tuesday in Grant Auditorium.

In other SA news

n Seven new Assemblymembers were approved at the meeting. Jayson Weinstein, Greg Jones, Jason Holtz, Kate Kowalski, Keith Basile, Jessica Cordova and Margo Miller were all voted into the Assembly by unanimous consent after fielding questions from SA members for almost an hour. Weinstein asked each candidate what they believed should be done about issues on campus regarding racism, sexism and inequality.

‘I’m pro non-censorship, but if there are objections to something, I will make my objection,’ Weinstein said.

Basile added that racism on campus is a problem.

‘Racism has no place in any area the campus or in society,’ Basile said.

Other topics discussed by candidates included the co-curricular fee, safety on campus and the newly instituted guest policy.

‘All of our new members will be valuable assets to the SA,’ Weinstein said as the newly elected candidates entered Maxwell Auditorium to rounds of applause.

Published on February 11, 2002 at 12:00 pm