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Who is Chip Bok? American cartoonist's ‘insensitive’ Charlie Kirk political cartoon sparks ‘boycott Newsday' calls
Newsday faced backlash and issued an apology for publishing a controversial cartoon by Chip Bok about Charlie Kirk's assassination.
A Long Island newspaper was compelled to issue an apology on Sunday following a backlash over its “vile” and “insensitive” political cartoon about Charlie Kirk's killing.
In its Saturday edition, Newsday acknowledged that it should never have published the cartoon, which showed a blood-splattered empty chair beneath a tent with the labels "Charlie Kirk" and "Prove Me Wrong."
The seat is marked with an arrow that reads "Turning Point USA," the name of the conservative group that Kirk co-founded.
Who is Chip Bok?
Chip Bok, a Pulitzer finalist illustrator, created the contentious image, which immediately sparked fury on the island.
He contributed illustrations to a few of Dave Barry's novels and was a 1997 Pulitzer Prize finalist.
Republican Jesse Garcia's blasts Newsday with boycott calls
“Newsday — the only daily paper for Long Island — has crossed a line. By publishing a vile cartoon about the political assassination of Charlie Kirk, the paper has mocked tragedy, stoked division, and poured gasoline on the flames of political violence,” Jesse Garcia, the chairman of Suffolk County Republican Party, stated in a statement.
“This isn’t journalism. It’s a reckless, partisan attack that blames the victim, silences free speech, and shames everything this country should stand for,” Garcia added.
The chairman promptly demanded that the newspaper apologize to Kirk's family and Newsday's readership, delete the cartoon from all of its platforms, and end Bok's contract.
Fumed Garcia further called on Americans, including advertisers and subscribers, to boycott Newsday, asking them to not endorse a publication that normalizes hate and endangers lives.
Newsday issues statement over ‘despicable’ cartoon
Newsday informed The NY Post that Bok, who has drawn cartoons for the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Time, Washington Post, New York Times and Newsweek, is not a staff member.
The published cartoon was syndicated, which means that the source either purchased it or obtained it from the creator.
In addition, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman scrambled to "cancel" the daily newspaper on Long Island following the "over the top despicable" cartoon.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, the Republican called the cartoon “unconscionable” and “despicable”.
The outlet asserted that Bok "suggest that Kirk's assassination might be a turning point for healing our nation's divide" by using the name of Kirk's group, Turning moment USA, and the topic of his event in Utah, "Prove Me Wrong."
“The imagery was inappropriate and should never have been published in Newsday,” it concluded.
