We syndicated this cartoon by Sean Delonas which has caused some controversy.
The cartoon was run in the Albuquerque Journal, which got blowback from local readers and politicians. The New York Times also wrote about the controversy. The Albuquerque Journal editor who ran the cartoon apologized. Here is a statement I gave to reporters.
Our conservative cartoonist, Sean Delonas, gave us this statement about the cartoon:
I stand 100% behind the cartoon. The cartoon, for the most part, is about use of the word “dreamers.” Politicians always give pleasing labels to bills that most Americans don’t want.
I do not have a problem with legal immigration, only illegal immigration. Sure, many illegal immigrants are good people; and many of them take advantage of our social services and some are criminals such as MS-13.
What bothers me the most is that it is becoming harder for people to voice their opinions in this country; if they offer an opinion that is unpopular (particularly with the left), attempts are made to shut down their voices by calling them racist, sexist, etc… At my age, I could care less what people call me.
I do feel sorry for The Albuquerque Journal editor who published my cartoon. She looks like a nice person and I regret that she’s taking heat for my cartoon.
We regularly get complaints from readers who are offended by our cartoons. Much of our email is from readers who demand that we should censor and apologize for the editorial cartoons that offend them. Usually these complaints come from the right, as most of our cartoons criticize President Trump.
We don’t edit our cartoons for political point of view. We look to the spectrum of political debate to decide what is appropriate to syndicate and this cartoon is consistent with what we hear from the right end of the political spectrum.
Sean Delonas, has drawn this cartoon in support of President Trump’s view that “illegal immigrants” bring violent crime to America; the cartoon responds to the president’s recent comments about the MS-13 gang.
I’m not surprised that this cartoon sparks outrage. It is up to each newspaper editor to decide what is appropriate to run in their own newspaper.
My personal view is that I agree with the critics of Sean’s cartoon.
Truly,
Daryl Cagle
Cagle Cartoons, Inc, Newspaper Syndicate
Outraged readers aren’t shy about their condemnation of the cartoon. Here are a couple of examples from Twitter.
