{"id":2095301,"date":"2023-11-09T14:35:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T19:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wapo-took-down-hamas-cartoon-amid-staffers-deep-concerns-internal-memo-indicates\/"},"modified":"2023-11-09T14:37:01","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T19:37:01","slug":"wapo-took-down-hamas-cartoon-amid-staffers-deep-concerns-internal-memo-indicates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wapo-took-down-hamas-cartoon-amid-staffers-deep-concerns-internal-memo-indicates\/","title":{"rendered":"WaPo removed Hamas cartoon due to staff&#8217;s &#8216;serious concerns,&#8217; internal memo suggests."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwapo-took-down-hamas-cartoon-amid-staffers-deep-concerns-internal-memo-indicates%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2095301&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Sally Buzbee\u2063 Addresses Concerns Over Controversial \u200cCartoon<\/h2>\n<div>\n<figure><figcaption>Sally Buzbee (Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Sally Buzbee, the executive editor of the\u2062 <em>Washington Post<\/em>,\u2062 sent an email to staff\u200b members on Wednesday night acknowledging \u200ctheir &#8220;many deep concerns and conversations&#8221; about a \u2063cartoon criticizing Hamas that the \u200cnewspaper\u200b earlier \u2064in the day\u2063 published and then deleted.<\/p>\n<p>In the email, obtained by the <em>Washington Free Beacon<\/em>, Buzbee wrote:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n<p>Given the many deep concerns and conversations today in our newsroom, I wanted to ensure everyone\u2063 saw the notes sent out tonight \u2063by The Post&#8217;s opinions editor, David Shipley, to Post readers and to his staff in opinions.<\/p>\n<p>My best, Sally<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Buzbee forwarded \u200ban email that Shipley\u200d had sent opinions staff\u2064 in which he said he had \u2063personally &#8220;taken \u2063down&#8221; \u200bthe cartoon. Shipley included the \u2062full \u200ctext of an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2023\/11\/08\/readers-response-hamas-cartoon\/\">editor&#8217;s note<\/a> in which he publicly expressed &#8220;regret&#8221; that he had &#8220;missed something profound, and divisive&#8221; in publishing\u200b the\u200c image.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;A cartoon published by Michael Ramirez on the war\u2062 in Gaza, a cartoon whose publication I approved, was seen by many readers as racist. This \u2064was not my intent. I \u2064saw the drawing as a caricature\u2064 of a specific individual, the \u200dHamas spokesperson, who celebrated the attacks on unarmed civilians in Israel,&#8221;\u2063 Shipley wrote.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/theprint.in\/world\/cartoons-in-crosshairs-washington-post-withdraws-hamas-human-shields-illustration-after-backlash\/1838746\/\">cartoon<\/a> depicted an individual, labeled &#8220;Hamas,&#8221; with children, \u2062a baby, and a woman strapped to his body. &#8220;How dare Israel attack civilians&#8230;,&#8221; the man said\u200d in a speech bubble.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>Along \u200bwith\u200c Shipley&#8217;s editor&#8217;s note, the <em>Post<\/em> published letters to the\u2064 editor that variously called the cartoon \u2063&#8221;deeply malicious,&#8221; &#8220;deeply racist,&#8221; \u2062and &#8220;full\u200b of bias and prejudice.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Post<\/em> also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/style\/media\/2023\/11\/08\/washington-post-hamas-cartoon-michael-ramirez\/\">reported<\/a> \u2063on Wednesday evening about its removal of the cartoon by \u2062Ramirez, who twice won the Pulitzer Prize at the <em>Las Vegas Review-Journal<\/em> before joining the <em>Post<\/em> in May. The report said &#8220;the drawing was criticized as racist and dehumanizing toward Palestinians&#8221; \u200band described the Hamas \u2062caricature as having\u2062 a &#8220;large nose and snarling mouth.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Hamas has \u2064a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2023\/oct\/30\/human-shield-israel-claim-hamas-command-centre-under-hospital-palestinian-civilian-gaza-city\">history<\/a> of using civilians as &#8220;human shields.&#8221; The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/speeches-remarks\/2023\/10\/10\/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-terrorist-attacks-in-israel-2\/\">Biden administration<\/a> has \u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2023\/11\/05\/white-house-resigned-israel-onslaught-gaza\/\">repeatedly<\/a> said \u200cthe Palestinian terrorist group is doing so in \u200cits ongoing war \u200bwith Israel. The <em>Post<\/em>&#8216;s own reporting has noted accusations that Hamas seeks to avoid Israeli strikes \u2063by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/2023\/11\/09\/israel-hamas-war-news-11-9-2023\/bdd150ba-7ee2-11ee-b5cc-66c30a3bbb91_story.html\">operating<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/it-begins-israel-calls-up-thousands-of-troops-positions-heavy-machinery-for-ground-offensive\/\" title=\"IT BEGINS: Israel Calls Up Thousands Of Troops, Positions Heavy Machinery For Ground Offensive\">densely populated areas<\/a> in the Gaza Strip, including under hospitals \u2063and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/2023\/10\/14\/gaza-evacuation-israel-hamas-war\/\">preventing civilians<\/a> from evacuating.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>As is standard for political cartoonists, Ramirez has often exaggerated the facial features of his subjects of all races, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewjournal.com\/opinion\/michael-ramirez\/cartoon-biden-mcconnell-have-this-horrifying-thing-in-common-2898589\/\">Senate Minority\u2062 Leader Mitch McConnell<\/a> \u2063(R.,\u200c Ky.) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/cartoons\/congress-action\/appropriate-attire-john-fetterman\/\">Sen. John \u200bFetterman<\/a> \u200b(D., \u2063Pa.). During the 2014 Gaza war, the <em>Post<\/em> published a\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/Operation-Protective-Edge\/US-Jews-furious-over-Washington-Post-cartoon-showing-Netanyahu-punching-Palestinian-infant-363403\">cartoon<\/a> showing Israeli prime minister Benjamin\u200d Netanyahu punching a \u2064Palestinian infant.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>Neither Ramirez nor Buzbee responded\u200d to requests for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How\u200b can diversity \u2063and inclusion in newsrooms \u200bhelp\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/covid-mandates-are-good-for-business-2\/\" title=\"COVID mandates benefit businesses.\">identify potential biases<\/a> or harmful content before it is published and ensure accurate\u200c representation of different viewpoints and experiences<\/h2>\n<p><span>  &#8220;offensive and harmful.&#8221;\u2064 The article explained that the decision \u200cto remove the cartoon was made after the opinion editor, David Shipley, realized that it had been interpreted differently than\u2062 intended and had \u200ccaused\u200d offense to readers.<\/p>\n<p>The controversy surrounding the cartoon \u200dhighlights the challenges that \u2062<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-times-loses-verification-on-x-after-complaints-from-elon-musk\/\" title=\"Elon Musk's complaints lead to New York Times losing verification on X.\">news organizations face<\/a> in striking \u2062a balance between\u200c freedom of expression and avoiding\u2064 the promotion of harmful stereotypes or perpetuating bias. It also raises questions about the editorial \u2063process and the responsibility of editors to ensure that \u2062content published in their publications does not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wapo-took-down-hamas-cartoon-amid-staffers-deep-concerns-internal-memo-indicates\/\" title=\"WaPo removed Hamas cartoon due to staff's 'serious concerns,' internal memo suggests.\">cross ethical boundaries<\/a> or cause harm.<\/p>\n<p>In his editor&#8217;s note,\u2062 Shipley acknowledged that the \u200ccartoon had been seen as\u200b racist and expressed regret for \u2063not recognizing the potential for offense before it was published. He explained\u200d that he viewed the cartoon as a\u200d caricature\u200c of a specific\u2064 individual, the\u2062 Hamas spokesperson,\u200b rather than \u2062a\u200c depiction of Palestinians as \u200da whole. However, it became evident that many readers had interpreted it differently, seeing \u200cit as\u2064 a dehumanizing portrayal of Palestinians and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.<\/p>\n<p>The decision to remove \u2062the cartoon was a response to the concerns expressed by readers \u200band staff members of the Washington Post. It reflects a commitment to listen \u200dto feedback and take responsibility for mistakes. While freedom of\u200d expression is \u2064a\u200c fundamental\u200d value in journalism, it should not\u2064 be used as a justification for publishing content that\u200d is offensive or harmful.<\/p>\n<p>The incident\u2063 also serves as a reminder of the importance\u2062 of diversity and inclusion in newsrooms. An\u200b editorial process \u2062that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/floridas-new-college-a-social-justice-battleground-as-washington-launches-civil-rights-probes\/\" title=\"Florida's New College becomes a social justice battleground amid civil rights investigations by Washington.\">includes diverse perspectives<\/a> and \u2062voices can help identify potential biases or harmful content before it is published. It can \u2062also\u200d help ensure that different viewpoints and experiences are represented accurately and respectfully.<\/p>\n<p>In\u2064 conclusion, \u200dthe controversy over \u200cthe cartoon published \u2062by the\u2064 Washington\u2064 Post highlights the challenges faced by news organizations in navigating\u2063 the delicate balance between freedom \u200cof expression and avoiding the perpetuation of \u200charmful\u200d stereotypes. The decision\u200d to remove \u2062the cartoon was a response to the concerns expressed by readers \u2064and staff members. It underscores the importance of listening to feedback, taking responsibility for mistakes, and \u2063fostering diversity and \u200dinclusion in newsrooms. Moving forward, \u2064it\u2062 is crucial\u200c for news organizations to reflect on and learn from such\u200c incidents to ensure that their content upholds the \u200bhighest standards\u2063 of journalism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sally Buzbee (Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images) Sally Buzbee, the executive editor of the Washington Post, sent an email to staff members on Wednesday night acknowledging their &#8220;many deep concerns and conversations&#8221; about a cartoon criticizing Hamas that the newspaper earlier in the day published and then deleted. In the email, obtained by the Washington Free Beacon<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":309,"featured_media":2095302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2095301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2095301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/309"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2095301"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2095301\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2095302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2095301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2095301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2095301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}