Now I may be resentful due to the fact of my recent relationship with the Daily Illini, and my comments and thoughts can be seen as grossly slanted (if you don't know by now, they cut down the number of student-run comics, and despite working there for three years, I was cut -- I still don't know the reason why; they haven't responded to my emails. Check out the email I received/sent them here)...
Anyhoo, I read the editorial by the newspaper, and I am amazed how frequently and consistently the new DI board fucking pisses me off. At first, I was going to let the issue of my termination unaddressed and simply move on, but after reading the editorial, news of the recent backlash from that Danish cartoon, and talking to the remaining cartoonists, I feel compelled to say something now.
Pat Doran, my fellow cartoonist and one of the three who rightfully retained a spot after the cuts, has stated that -- on more than one occasion -- the new editors refused to run his comic because of its supposed "offensive" content. Furthermore, they sent a rather rudely-worded email to him, writing that "your comics have been coming in the day before at 6, that is unacceptable" by some freshman bitch who recently gained authority in the DI. They're asking the cartoonists to submit their comics a week in advance so they can monitor the comics' content and to not have to contend with typical deadlines.
One of my problems is this: it has been a standard policy with the old editors that the cartoonists have their comics in before 6; how that is "unacceptable" is beyond unfathomable. Also, asking them to submit comics a week beforehand is a terrible strain on the artist's capabilities, especially since he or she is a busy college student. We don't devote 24/7 to comics, assclowns. Additionally, comics (at least mine) are often centered around current events, and a joke or event or social commentary a week old isn't funny. Look at the Daily Show, for instance; the show wouldn't be such a success if they covered old news. Hell, the DI newspaper articles and editorials aren't even written a week of advance!
My main problem, however, is their new, strict way of censoring their cartoons. Pat Doran is far from controversial as Matt Vroom ever was, and the new editors have the audacity to prohibit running a few of Pat's comics. And after reading the above editorial, I find the utter hypocrisy of the Daily Illini to be disgusting. If the newspaper claims to be "independent" and an advocate for free speech, why censor something so trivial and unserious as a comic? I have a sinking suspicion that my termination -- if you can even officially call it that -- was due to my sometimes "edgy" subject matter and the use of profanity (that, or the new editors are just idiots or greedy). Nonetheless, I never received any negative feedback from the public. Although they were just comics, I stand by the notion of free speech.
To be frank, I am glad to be gone from their employment, and if they ever ask me to return, I'll bluntly tell them to fuck off. Eight dollars a strip is not worth the crap they put me and my friends through. According to other students, the comics are the sole reason why your average 18-to-22-year-old picks up the Daily Illini, so the higher ups should be more grateful to us. I mean, anyone can tune into CNN Headline News or open Yahoo and get the news. It's not everyday that a cartoonist can relate to his fellow Illinois student and make them laugh or at least smile.
By neglecting their employees and their rights to free speech even moreso, the Daily Illini is going to eventually falter and fail. And when they crash and burn, those who they have carelessly depreciated will laugh and cheer when their victims are onto something bigger and better than a college newspaper.
pleasantly brought
to you by phillip retuta Thursday, February 09, 2006 @
8:45 PM
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