Editorial Cartoon In New Mexico Sparks Controversy – A Viewpoint Or Incorrect Information?

This cartoon which ran in a New Mexico newspaper as an editorial cartoon was created by Sean Delonas, and syndicated by CagleCartoons.com. The newspaper is defending it against critics by saying it offers “different points of view.”

An editorial cartoon published in the Journal came under fire Wednesday from elected officials â€” including both of New Mexico’s U.S. senators and others for being “misguided and bigoted.”The syndicated cartoon showed an apparently frightened white couple being accosted at gunpoint by members of MS-13, an international criminal gang targeted by President Donald Trump whose members are primarily from Central America.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat who is running for re-election this year, lambasted the cartoon on social media, while state Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, described it as an example of “ignorance, racism and hatred.”
Heinrich tweeted: “Shame on the @ABQJournal for stooping to a new low and publishing a heinous and bigoted depiction of Dreamers in today’s paper that serves only to sow division in our community.”

His tweet sparked dozens of comments, many of which agreed with his sentiment. Some disagreed, with one saying: “They are a newspaper. They are supposed to publish a full range of viewpoints.”

Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., also weighed in on Twitter: “Words and images are still hateful and offensive, even when they appear in a cartoon. The @ABQJournal should apologize.”
The cartoon, by Sean Delonas, syndicated by CagleCartoons.com, depicts a man telling his wife as theyâ€™re being accosted by a gang member and a terrorist: “Honey I believe they prefer to be called ‘˜Dreamers’or future Democrats.”
Dreamers are young adults who were born in other countries and were brought to the United States as children without documentation, typically by family members.
Their situation has been the subject of ongoing debate on Capitol Hill, as Trump has announced he would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, authorized by former President Barack Obama, which protected an estimated 689,000 young adults from deportation.
The program is scheduled to expire March 5.
Editorially, the Journal has supported a path to citizenship for the country’s estimated 1.8 million Dreamers.
Journal Editor Karen Moses issued a statement late Wednesday that said: “Our editorial pages offer views from all sides of the spectrum, and we realize some of the content will offend readers.

“We do not agree with many of those views, but their purpose is to spark discussion and debate. In hindsight, instead of generating debate, this cartoon only inflamed emotions. This was not the intent, nor does……….

To read full article, please visit:https://www.abqjournal.com/1130848/journal-editorial-cartoon-sparks-controversy.html
CTLatinoNews.com Editor’s Note: We at CTLatinoNews.com first wondered if we should even re-post the actual cartoon, but decided to do so to fully inform our readers.