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Newspaper Cartoon No Joking Matter

POSTED: 5:12 pm EDT April 6, 2004
UPDATED: 6:55 pm EDT April 6, 2004

It's somewhat of a tradition for college newspapers to publish April Fools' editions. Controversy often follows.

cartoon

At Carnegie Mellon University, The Tartan has voluntarily shut down for the rest of the semester after publishing a cartoon in which a goat uses a racial slur while telling a mouse how he hit a black person on a bike.

The cartoon, called "Harold and the Other Guy," ran in the newspaper's 12-page April Fools' edition, which also included a depiction of female genitalia and poems about rape and mutilation.

The comic strip angered readers and was labeled "irresponsible and unconscionable" by university President Jared Cohon. Editor-in-chief Alex Meseguer said two Tartan editors have resigned and cartoonist Bob Rost was fired.

"The horrible cartoon in the April 1, 2004, edition of The Tartan is a repudiation of our core values and it must not be tolerated," Cohon wrote in a letter. "I condemn the author for creating this cartoon and the editors of The Tartan for allowing this cartoon to run."

Discussion
Meseguer apologized to about 75 people who protested over the weekend. He said fatigue had clouded the judgment of editors who allowed the comic to be published.

Michael Murphy, dean of student affairs, said punishments may be handed out after a review of the situation by a committee of students, professors, employees and alumni.

A public meeting about the controversy was being held on campus early Tuesday evening, Channel 4's Jon Greiner reported.

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