Terror
published : 2023-11-11
Conservatives Mock Washington Post for Deleting Anti-Hamas Cartoon 'Woke Have Spoken'
Criticism Grows as Washington Post Removes Controversial Cartoon
Conservative criticism is mounting against The Washington Post for pulling an anti-Hamas political cartoon after some staffers expressed 'deep concerns' about the panel.
The cartoon, titled 'Human shields' and created by Michael Ramirez, depicted a Hamas spokesperson saying, 'How dare Israel attack civilians,' while a frightened-looking woman and four children were bound with rope to his body.
Initially featured in the Nov. 8 print edition and online, the cartoon was later deleted due to backlash from both internal and external sources.
According to a Washington Post insider, the criticism arose from the caricature of both the man and the woman, rather than the message itself criticizing Hamas.
The decision to delete the cartoon and issue an apology sparked anger among conservative political commentators, who accused The Washington Post of capitulating to pressure rather than standing by the cartoon.
The New York Post Editorial Board also criticized The Washington Post's apology, stating that it was a mistake and discouraged free speech.
Despite The Washington Post's explanation that the cartoon was seen as racist and divisive by many readers, some questioned the reasoning behind retracting it merely due to complaints.
The opinions editor of The Washington Post, David Shipley, took responsibility for approving the cartoon and explained that it was not his intent to be racist. However, he acknowledged the profound and divisive reaction to the image, leading to its removal.
The Washington Post's decision to apologize and remove the cartoon was seen by some as surrendering to pressure and limiting freedom of speech.
The mission of The Washington Post's opinion section is to find commonalities and understanding in the darkest times, which is why the cartoon was taken down.
The controversy surrounding The Washington Post's deletion of the anti-Hamas political cartoon has sparked a debate about the boundaries of free speech and censorship.
