NY Press Kills Cartoons; Staff Walks Out
Editor-in-Chief Harry Siegel emails, on behalf of the editorial staff:
New York Press, like so many other publications, has suborned its own professed principles. For all the talk of freedom of speech, only the New York Sun locally and two other papers nationally have mustered the minimal courage needed to print simple and not especially offensive editorial cartoons that have been used as a pretext for great and greatly menacing violence directed against journalists, cartoonists, humanitarian aid workers, diplomats and others who represent the basic values and obligations of Western civilization. Having been ordered at the 11th hour to pull the now-infamous Danish cartoons from an issue dedicated to them, the editorial group—consisting of myself, managing editor Tim Marchman, arts editorJonathan Leaf and one-man city hall bureau Azi Paybarah, chose instead to resign our positions.
We have no desire to be free speech martyrs, but it would have been nakedly hypocritical to avoid the same cartoons we'd criticized others for not running, cartoons that however absurdly have inspired arson, kidnapping and murder and forced cartoonists in at least two continents to go into hiding. Editors have already been forced to leave papers in Jordan and France for having run these cartoons. We have no illusions about the power of the Press (NY Press, we mean), but even on the far margins of the world-historical stage, we are not willing to side with the enemies of the values we hold dear, a free press not least among them.
This was not an easy decision. I've been reading the Press since 1988 and have dreamed of running it for nearly as long. The paper's editorial staff has worked impossibly hard hours and has come quite a ways in only a few months towards restoring the paper's tarnished editorial reputation and credibility. I'm proud of the work we've done, and wish we'd had time to finish the job. I wish the Press all the best, and hope that under new ownership and leadership it can again be an invaluable read for all good Gothamites.
Bravo
I don't think we have any discussion about the Danish Muhammad cartoons....
Stratfor, which is good for security wonkery. You can sign up for a free essay a week, which is how I got that.
Meanwhile, the New York Press editorial team resigns.
I thought the days of such personal integrity were gone. The decision you--and the staff--have made actually give me some hope for the future of the US. And I'm proud it happened at a NYC newspaper. Thank you.
I second. Bravo!
Don't much like that right wing rag, and don't much like the cartoons, which aren't very funny, or insightful, and aren't all that tasteful (I've been offended by the equivalent stuff about Jews); but, they are worthy of being reprinted, if only for their news value (how can we undertand what all the fuss is about if we can't see them? It's almost like a real life version of "Waiting for Godot").
Harry and company are heroes; if not for standing up for dubious speech, then for standing up for journalism as it should be practiced (and rarely was in that right wing rag).
how long before the paper capitulates?
I applaud your courage. Shame on the NYT and the NYP (and many others) for being afraid to print the cartoons. Start your own newpaper and I'll be your first subscriber.
Yes, it's nice to see someone stand on principal, and I applaud them for that. But at the same time the NY Press had more credibility under the old editorial stewardship than under Siegel, whose pedigree includes the New York Sun, the Weekly Standard and the American Enterprise magazine, all right-wing loony-bins.
This link does a Google Image search for simply these two words: Danish, cartoon.
Way to go!
Takes guts to walk off, but you did the right thing.
Thank you for your bravery! Long live the Enlightenment!
Was Harry's short time at New York Press the paper's golden age? He did one helluva job putting out a solid issue every single week. Hopefully his future plans are successful. And if you ever need a bike Harry, you know where you can get one.
It's a tough decision, but I'm glad to see some journalist still have the balls to fight for real freedom of speech.
Bravo. During a time when personal integrity seems to be lacking, the showing of the editorial staff is brave and inspiring. You should be proud of what you have done, and what you decided to stand for.
9:18
The Weekly Standard is a Newscorp publication.
Yeah, you guys were a real bastion of integrity, what with the Jeff Koyen article on the Pope and all...
Three cheers for free speech. What I don't get is why so many people who are otherwise concerned with the fact that Islam is being hijacked by fundamentalist crazies so damn eager to pander to these jackasses now.
You are my heroes!!
NY Press Kills Cartoons; Staff Walks Out
From the New York Observer: (via Instapundit and Andrew Sullivan)
The editorial staff of the alternative weekly New York Press walked out today, en masse, after the paper's publishers backed down from printing the Danish cartoons that have become the cen
Annoy.com decided to publish the cartoons for the same reason they published Nick Berg's beheading.
See Who's Your Shepherd?
You are my heroes too. Giving up a job is perhaps not the same as putting your life on the line a la Salman Rusdie, Humayun Azad, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, etc., but I will not forget what you have sacrificed to make a stand for the freedom to criticize ANY ideology.
Bravo!!!
If Google is now the substitute for a free press, than take what is left of my second amendment and shoot me in the head. The fact that "you can find it on Google" is a total crock. There are people who don't use Google, and for a 'guardian of the First Amendment' (which every newspaper feels it is) to just pass off their rights to a company that "Does No Evil--most of the time, unless in China" is the end of a Free Press.
Shoot me now.
You are all a profile in Courage
You are all a profile in Courage
Does everyone realize Hillary Clinton served on Wal-Mart's Board of Directors from 1986-91 when health benefits were worse than today? She is all talk and no walk. She was a Wal-Mart "insider"!
Clinton: Cover employees
Senator pushes for Wal-Mart's contribution to workers' health plans, but is unclear whether she took that stand as retailer's board member
Evaluating Hillary (NEWSDAY / RICHARD CORNETT)
BY GLENN THRUSH
WASHINGTON BUREAU
January 26, 2006
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton wants Wal-Mart to contribute to health insurance for its employees - but can't recall if she pushed for worker benefits during six years as a paid board member for the nation's largest retailer.
"Cities and states are saying we can't keep holding the bag here," Clinton said yesterday, praising a new Maryland law requiring Wal-Mart to spend at least 8 percent of payroll on health benefits or contribute to insurance plans for the poor.
About 20 state legislatures have similar bills pending - and Suffolk County has a similar law - reflecting frustration with paying Medicaid and other state health care expenses incurred by company employees.
Clinton never explicitly endorsed Maryland's law during her speech before the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, but she later told reporters, "I certainly understand their need to try to take some action because the burden is getting shifted onto the taxpayer."
Asked if she had advocated better benefits while serving as a board member with Arkansas-based Wal-Mart from 1986 to 1991, Clinton replied, "Well, you know, I, that was a long time ago ... have to remember," adding that "obviously I believe every company should" contribute to benefit plans.
"Her tenure on the board ended nearly 14 years ago, and it's a very different company now," said Philippe Reines, a spokesman for Clinton.
The Maryland bill was passed earlier this month over the veto of Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr.
Calls to a Wal-Mart spokesman weren't returned.
Company founder Sam Walton was a donor to Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. The Clintons owned between $50,000 and $100,000 in company stock at that time, according to press accounts.
Oh no, not the New York Press? What am I going to do for my Dr. Dot fix now?
I applaud this. I once walked out on a job on principle too, and while it might be scary after you've done it (especially not having another job), it's something you will not regret. You can always get another job, but if you don't stand up for your principles, you've lost.
Simply amazing.
Kudos.
Bravo!
Of course this could of been prevented by enacting any of the purposed Democrat Hate Speech laws. Ask Hillary, Kerry, Conyers, the ACLU or any, ahem, ‘liberal.’
Bravo and cheers brothers! Come to Seattle to help start up another alternative weekly - we could use your talent and conjones -
D