The Cavalier Daily has a propensity for publishing humor pieces and editorial cartoons which cross a line with readers. The newspaper faced public backlash in 2007 when cartoons depicted offensive and racially insensitive images. More recently, the 2015 managing board was obliged to issue an apology for an “April Fools” issue in which two articles centered on race-related satire. Humor authors should be wary of writing pieces which may be at best, in bad taste, and at worst incredibly offensive to readers. While this is universally true for all authors, current staff at The Cavalier Daily should be particularly conscious of the historical context of race relations at the University and the past missteps of the paper.
Last week, humor author Connor McLean wrote a piece titled “An unwarranted review of the Civil War.” This column was not necessarily inappropriate, but it did get a striking response from some readers. The satirical and self-deprecating nature of the column was amusing but the writing edged in on some touchy topics including the hotly debated removal of the Robert E. Lee statue. Readers are not interested in the elimination of satire or the removal of all amusing pieces published in the newspaper, and this is not what I am advocating. This column is however, a word of warning that readers and the broader public are in a heightened state of awareness. The current political climate makes these types of pieces all the more salient and noticeable.
Race relations are not the only humor topic which has caused grumbling among readers. Back in February, a political cartoon that depicted Kelsey Kilgore and Sarah Kenny during their run for Student Council president was generally held in contempt. The cartoon was widely criticized by students, and other readers who felt the cartoon was in poor taste and unfairly favored Kenny. Humor writers and cartoonists have a tall order and must walk a fine line between what is appropriate and well received and what will upset or frustrate readers. Striking this balance has been a continual challenge for The Cavalier Daily.
It is encouraging that a humorous Life column authored by John Patterson this past week was enjoyed by a large number of readers, with over 100 likes on The Cavalier Daily’s Facebook page. Humor can come in many shapes and forms, and it is certainly manageable to avoid highly contentious topics in the future. Let’s leave the hard-hitting satire for The Yellow Journal and avoid more reader concerns.
Jacquelyn Katuin is the Public Editor for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at publiceditor@cavalierdaily.com.
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