Cartoon falls to cancel culture: In perilous times, free speech attacks are no laughing matter

It’s taken only about a month for many Americans seemingly to forget who instigated the war between Israel and Hamas.

On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists descended on Israel, slaughtering hundreds of innocent civilians, including at least 31 U.S. citizens. More than 1,200 Israelis were killed, and over 240, including children, are still being held hostage in Gaza.

Israelis have a right to defend themselves against terrorists who have said that they won’t stop until Israel is wiped off the face of the earth.

There also have been many Palestinian civilian casualties. An estimated 11,000 have died.

A major reason so many civilians are caught in the crossfire, however, is that Hamas uses Palestinian lives as human shields. That fact has been well documented, and it’s a disgusting tactic of Hamas terrorists to hide behind women and children.

Washington Post retracts accurate cartoon

Michael Ramirez, a political cartoonist who has won two Pulitzer Prizes, recently drew a cartoon illustrating that fact. A nationally syndicated cartoonist who works for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Ramirez also is a contributor to The Washington Post.

After David Shipley, editorial page editor of The Post, signed off on running the cartoon, backlash from readers and staff led him to apologize for doing so – and to pull the cartoon from the paper’s website.

A Washington Post news story on the incident said "the drawing was criticized as racist and dehumanizing toward Palestinians" and said the Hamas spokesman was caricatured as having a "large nose and snarling mouth."

Exaggerated features have long been a common part of the artform among editorial cartoonists, and Ramirez is no exception. He has given similar treatment to dozens of prominent people, from former President Donald Trump to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

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No journalist, even one on the opinion side who draws cartoons, should intentionally set out to mock or harm anyone’s identity.

Did the cartoon make me cringe? Yes. But that was because of the ugly truth it highlighted. That’s the whole point.

As the headline on Washington Post writer Jason Willick's column Tuesday stated: "We can’t ignore the truth that Hamas uses human shields."

No, we can't. Or, at least, shouldn't. Yet, the Post's decision to retract Ramirez's cartoon obscures that fact.

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The cartoon represented something much bigger – and more important – than how a terrorist organization was portrayed. Not only was it a pertinent political perspective that fell victim to cancel culture. It’s also a sign that free speech is at risk.

Media should set an example of free speech

The press is the only vocation expressly listed in the First Amendment. While self-censorship does not fall under the purview of the government, the news media should uphold the values and spirit of free expression.

In silencing Ramirez’s voice, The Washington Post is giving power to those in the newsroom and out who disagree with his point of view – and his view is that Hamas terrorists intentionally put Palestinian civilians at risk.

As we’ve seen in protests on elite college campuses and the streets of big cities, it’s popular to stand against Israel – even soon after the Hamas attack happened, Israel was the one that was blamed.

And when progressive college students who have been trained in that environment head into our country’s newsrooms, it’s no surprise that they bring their political and social viewpoints into the workplace with them.

The Post's decision to retract a factually accurate cartoon reminds me of what happened in 2020, after police in Minneapolis murdered George Floyd. Articles published about the violent protests that followed led to the firing of at least two prominent newspaper editors. And much like what recently transpired, much of the pushback came from within news organizations.

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In 2020, free speech advocates across the political spectrum warned against what was happening. It’s equally alarming today.

The Washington Post should take a closer look at its own motto: “Democracy dies in darkness.”

Ramirez thinks it should, too. As he told Fox News, "When the protests and rancor of a distressed newsroom offended by a cartoon exposing the truth causes adults to retreat to their safe spaces, clutching their participation trophies and cancel the freedom of speech, these are truly dark days."

The world is in the midst of turbulent times. We need more speech and open debate – not less.

Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@usatoday.com or on X, formerly Twitter: @Ingrid_Jacques

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cartoon criticized Hamas terrorists. And then Washington Post blinked