UH paper suspends cartoon

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

For the second year in a row, a University of Hawai'i newspaper cartoonist has run afoul of both the campus' Board of Publications and members of the public, some of whom say that some of his cartoons have racist overtones.

The Board of Publications asked the editor of Ka Leo O Hawai'i last week to suspend publishing cartoons by Casey Ishitani while an investigation is under way. Ka Leo editor Lori Ann Saeki complied, and cartoons stopped appearing.

Complaints were raised by the Afro American Lawyers Association of Hawai'i after a cartoon published during Black History Month in mid-February referred to the NAACP as the "National Alliance of Assailants of Colored People."

"They set up a committee to investigate, and they've asked him to suspend publishing while the investigation is under way," said Bob Duesterhaus, faculty adviser to the Board of Publications.

Board member Ian Custino is heading the investigation and an open forum is expected early in April, after the university re-opens after spring break this week.

Ka Leo managing editor Travis Quezon said the student newspaper staff held a meeting last week to update everyone on the situation.

"We're going to work with the process," he said. "We're just going to have to wait it out and wait for the board's decision."

Last year several groups accused Ishitani of anti-semitic and homophobic sentiments after several cartoons in "The Opinionator" series. During an emotional meeting of the Board of Publications then, more than two dozen students complained about cartoons that said Hitler "wasn't all that bad a guy" as well as derogatory comments about homosexuals and Jews.

Mary Vorsino, Ka Leo editor at that time, said the cartoons were meant as parodies, but said, nonetheless, she would institute stronger staff guidelines, create tougher policies to scrutinize material before publication and provide additional training for staff about diversity issues and civil rights.

Ka Leo also sponsored a public forum to address First Amendment issues.

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.