College Paper Apologizes for 'Obama's America' Cartoon After Racism Accusations

The University of Alabama's stunning loss to Auburn in Saturday's Iron Bowl game left many grasping for a reason for the sudden turn of events that toppled college football's No. 1 team.

Enter Alabama's student newspaper, The Crimson White. It ran an editorial cartoon deeming the loss "what happens in Obama's America."

Image source: The Crimson White/Univ. of Alabama

On Thursday, the paper issued a public apology for running the cartoon after it received accusations of racism.

"The cartoon was meant as satire, but unfortunately it has been perceived by many readers as having racist intentions," wrote the paper's editor-in-chief, Mazie Bryant.

Bryant said the cartoon was meant "as a lighthearted look at some of the more absurd explanations given for Alabama's collapse" at the end of the game, adding that for the paper's staff and the student body at large "the blame was based on ridiculous and unfounded reasons."

Which is where the Obama satire comes in:

Unfortunately, many people have developed an unhealthy opinion that all of the problems the United States has faced is a direct result of the decisions President Barack Obama has made during his terms as president. To place blame for the problems of the world on one man's shoulders is not only disrespectful to our country's leader, but also a scapegoat, devaluing the real roots of the problems themselves.

Bryant hammered home the point: "This cartoon was, by no means, intended to be racist or insulting."

But the apology went further. "From this point on, we will be approving cartoons before they are published with a panel consisting of our editorial board. We will judge cartoons based on their power and meaning and decipher which areas need to be revised and expanded upon."

So what do you say? Is the apology warranted, or did the Crimson White back down too readily?

(H/T: Gawker)

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