Sheriff demands apology from local paper after cartoonist depicts police officers as Ku Klux Klan members

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Multiple groups and officials have
demanded an apology after The Salt Lake Tribune printed an
editorial cartoon Tuesday, Sept. 1, that apparently relates police
to the KKK.

The cartoon, entitled “The Deep Hate,” can be fully viewed

here at the Tribune’s website. It was drawn by the Salt Lake
Tribune editorial cartoonist Pat Bagley.

The cartoon depicts what appears to be a white police officer,
with “Law Enforcement†written on his back, standing next to an
apparent doctor in an examination room.  In front of the pair is an
X-ray depicting a hooded figure in the place of the lower spine and
pelvis. 

The doctor is gesturing toward the X-ray, and the caption reads,
“Well, there’s your problem.â€

Today @sltrib’s
@Patbagley
published an editorial cartoon depicting law enforcement as members
of or inspired by the Ku Klux Klan. The Utah Sheriff’s Association
has issued a rebuke of Bagley and his KKK cartoon. https://t.co/MxIx6kSmiI pic.twitter.com/VkUxdCz6SR

— Utah County Sheriff (@UCSO)
September 2, 2020

The day after the cartoon’s release, the Utah Sheriff’s
Association released a harsh
rebuke of the cartoon, stating:

“[The drawing] stands for the proposition that
‘law enforcement officers are also Ku Klux Klan
members.’â€

The Association called the cartoon “divisive,â€
“prejudicial,†and a “hand grenade.â€

The statement went on to read:

“This is not the time to fan the flames as law
enforcement leaders and community leaders meet and discuss ways we
can all do better when it comes to fair and equal treatment for
all, with the goal of finding a peaceful path forward.

“And this is not the time for a cheap shot.â€

The Association also called out the Tribune and Bagley for
blocking comments on the cartoon, and concluded its statement by
demanding an apology from Bagley to the men and women of law
enforcement.

Additional support for the public rebukes came from Rep. Chris
Stewart (R-UT), who tweeted:

“This is extremely dangerous & inappropriate
and only fans the flames of hatred and mistrust.

“I stand with the Utah Sheriff’s association.

“The @sltrib and @Patbagley should immediately
retract and apologize.â€

This is extremely dangerous
& inappropriate and only fans the flames of hatred &
mistrust. I stand with the Utah Sheriffs Association. The @sltrib &
@Patbagley
should immediately retract & apologize. https://t.co/VSpk8i2Xtu

— Rep. Chris Stewart (@RepChrisStewart)
September 3, 2020

An unapologetic Bagley responded
to Stewart on twitter, saying:

“Know what’s dangerous?  Police w no
accountability and a rep who misinterprets cartoon to rile people
up.  Cop in cartoon is for a check up — he felt something was
wrong.  White supremacists make it a point to infiltrate law
enforcement.  That’s a fact.  That’s a problem.â€

Stewart fired back in a radio interview,
saying:

“Mr. Bagley can try and skew this any way he wants,
but I think it’s disgusting… and he’s either uninformed or
he’s dishonest.

“Because there’s no way in the world you can
interpret this other than one way, and that is you are equating law
enforcement with absolute racism, and one of the worst symbols of
racism in American history.â€

Stewart acknowledged that racism does exist in society,
adding:

“There are some stupid people and there are some
bad people, many of whom are racist.â€

He went on to say:

“But to presume that from these incidents that
there is this surge of white supremacy within our police, again, I
think that’s nonsense.â€

Stewart continued:

“Show me the evidence that white supremacists have
overtaken or have taken control of any police force
anywhere.â€

The Salt Lake Tribune
reports that Tribune editorial page editor George Pyle has
stated that the Tribune will not apologize for the cartoon, and the
cartoon remains posted online.

Pyle
stated:

“The cartoon does not say that law enforcement
officers are all white supremacists. It does say that it’s a
problem that culture needs to deal with.â€

Apparently unimpressed by Pyle’s explanation, Jess Anderson,
Commissioner at the Utah Department of public safety, added his
voice to the rebukes of the editorial cartoon.

On Thursday, Sept. 3, Anderson released a
letter entitled: What’s Really Inside Our Officers: A
Desire to Serve and Protect.  Anderson co-signed the letter
with Mike Hadden, Executive Director of the Utah Department of
Corrections, Chief Tom Ross, President of the Utah Chiefs
Association, Sheriff Nathan Curtis of the Utah Sheriffs
Association, and Mike Mendenhall, President of the Utah League of
Cities and Towns.

Police Commissioner tells
Tribune to check itself after publishing KKK-police cartoon –
KUTV 2News https://t.co/xacDSgiLKp pic.twitter.com/PipcvhqAkM

— Publishing News (@akgmag)
September 7, 2020

In the letter, Anderson and his co-authors quoted Pyle as saying
“The cartoon does not say that law enforcement officers are all
white supremacists,†and added:

“[B]ut an effort, like Mr. Bagley’s, that lacks
nuance, sure comes across that way.

“The broad stroke used to widely disparage the law
enforcement profession is disheartening, irresponsible, and does
nothing to bring us together for the common good.â€

The letter also stated:

“We condemn the use of KKK imagery in the portrayal
of Utah’s law enforcement professionals.

“In a state where proud traditions run deep in
dialogue, trust, and community respect, and where trust in law
enforcement is paramount, we should all stand above depictions that
divide our communities and crudely classify all members of the law
enforcement profession as racists.â€

Anderson added that law enforcement and elected officials have
been working together with the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights
Commission and religious and community leaders to address community
concerns and have determined a list of topics to discuss
further.

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While acknowledging First Amendment rights, Anderson noted that
free expression bears responsibility as well. 

He said:

“While as law enforcement officers we appreciate
and respect one’s right to free speech, this right does not
exonerate us, as Americans, from the potential harm and
divisiveness that hateful narratives and depictions can create
within our society.â€

Anderson went on to say:

“As members of the press, your responsibility
should be to look beyond inflammatory depictions and narratives
that fuel division, and instead seize opportunities to highlight
areas of improvement and bring our communities together.†

Anderson also pointed out:

“A real X-ray depiction would show a desire to
serve and protect and a commitment to listen and improve.â€

He concluded:

“Unfortunately, Mr. Bagley’s cartoon does not
reflect the real nature of our police officers or the real nature
of us as Utahns.

“We urge the Salt Lake Tribune to also look
internally at how to use its influential platform responsibly and
ethically for the betterment of our society during this emotionally
charged and critical time.â€

Six days after the cartoon’s debut, The Tribune Editorial
Board published an
editorial entitled: After Bagley cartoon, it’s time for
community and police to come together.

The editorial, which was also placed below the
cartoon on its original page, spoke to the interpretation that
“all police officers are racists, †stating “That was not the
intent.† The editorial “[took] responsibility for it.â€

Then the piece went on to add:

“But just as it would be wrong to say that all
police officers are racist, it would also be wrong to say that
racism does not exist within the law enforcement world, as it
exists in most elements of our society.â€

Evoking the days of Jim Crow “and other forms of official and
unofficial bigotry,†the editorial claimed:

“[T]he history of law enforcement has frightening
elements within it.â€

The piece then mentioned a 14-year-old
study from the FBI regarding concern over white supremacist
infiltration of law enforcement.

It then claimed:

“Facing these issues will help everyone.  With more
trust throughout the community, police will be better able to do
their jobs and run much less risk of being harmed — or harming
others — while doing it.â€

Local police supporters in Salt Lake City were apparently not
having Bagley and Pyle’s explanation of the cartoon.  They
publicly denounced the Tribune and Bagley’s cartoon with a

rally at the Tribune’s printing press on Saturday.

James Sullivan, who spoke at the rally,
reportedly referred to the cartoon as “racist†due to the
KKK imagery.

Sullivan, who happens to be black, stated to the crowd:

“It’s not only ignorant and in poor taste, but it
is the most racist act, and the most blatantly racist act, that
I’ve ever experienced from a media group in the 21st
century.â€

 

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Sheriff demands apology from local paper after cartoonist depicts
police officers as Ku Klux Klan members appeared first on
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