Summary

Pulitzer-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigned from The Washington Post after the paper refused to publish her cartoon depicting owner Jeff Bezos and other media leaders kneeling before Donald Trump.

Telnaes criticized the decision as censorship, calling it dangerous for press freedom.

The Post’s opinions editor, David Shipley, defended the move, citing redundancy with other content.

Telnaes’s resignation follows backlash over the Post’s recent editorial decisions, including avoiding endorsements for Kamala Harris, which led to mass subscription cancellations.

Telnaes has long been celebrated for her bold commentary and award-winning work.

  • @MisterFrog
    link
    152 days ago

    Media being owned by a few rich people was and always has been dangerous for press freedom.

    I can only really see workers co-ops striking the correct balance here. (Basically, editor makes decisions, when needed workers vote on whether to publish or not).

    Capitalism is always the problem, and anti-democratic.

    • @Jomega
      link
      702 days ago

      Voltaire never said that. He lived under a monarchy, so it wouldn’t have made sense if he did. That quote was made up by a neo nazi and falsely attributed to him.

      • @givesomefucks
        link
        English
        332 days ago

        And it’s completely bullshit, just phrased so people think it’s “old timey”, it’s always been an issue but more so since social media. People just believe anything with a Historical figure’s name at the end.

        -William Shakespeare

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          22
          edit-2
          2 days ago

          That depends on how you define “not allowed to criticise”.

          To the neo-Nazis who invented and popularized the phrase, it means “People calling me an asshole when I say bigoted shit.” They use it as part of their constant refrain that they’re being “censored” by people who refuse to give them a platform to spew their poison.

          It is a good message, but one that can easily be twisted into something very dangerous if you’re not careful.

          • Maeve
            link
            fedilink
            52 days ago

            Most truths are double edged, if not multiple edged, like throwing stars.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            -52 days ago

            Gets so fucking old that there is always someone who will go out of their way to drag conversations down into negativity and mansplainingly remind everyone there’s some fucking reason we should have a problem with something even though right here in the immediate it’s hurting nobody. Just endless fucking vitriol.

        • @Jomega
          link
          12 days ago

          Not really. You just interpreted it in a less shitty way than intended.

          • Maeve
            link
            fedilink
            12 days ago

            Some people see a half empty glass, others a half full glass. It’s a half glassed either way.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    372 days ago

    I wonder if the Post will elevate another, more pliant, cartoonist to take her place and draw about the news whilst careful to not skewer the powerful, or instead decide that this is about Innovation, and from now on, cartoons will be AI-generated?

    • Flying Squid
      link
      242 days ago

      Oh god, I could totally see them switching to AI cartoons. Bezos can write the prompts himself.

  • @jeffwM
    link
    222 days ago

    “My decision was guided by the fact that we had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and had already scheduled another column – this one a satire – for publication.”

    It’s hard to make an argument that they are protecting Bezos if they already had 2 other articles criticizing him. But then why not just delay the cartoon?

    • @Crackhappy
      link
      English
      242 days ago

      Trump would never read the articles. But he would see the cartoon.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      62 days ago

      The comment was super weasely. “On the same topic” could mean anything. Based on what he says, the articles don’t need to mention Bezos at all.

  • @xc2215x
    link
    42 days ago

    Not surprised they refused.

  • @someguy3
    link
    -302 days ago

    Well that just seems like she wanted to do it.