University of Florida political cartoon sparks outrage

Student newspaper unleashes firestorm on campus with racially-charged political cartoon:

Mike Gimignani knew he was taking a chance two weeks ago when he published a racially charged cartoon in the University of Florida's student newspaper.

But the 21-year-old editor, who is white, didn't know how much of a chance until last weekend, when someone called his cell phone and threatened to kill him.

The threat was one link in a chain of events that began Sept. 13, when the Independent Florida Alligator printed a cartoon involving black rapper Kanye West and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

West, who said at a recent fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina victims that President Bush doesn't care about black people, is standing next to Rice holding a playing card labeled "The Race Card."

Rice has a bubble over her head that includes a slang reference to blacks.

The cartoon unleashed a firestorm on campus. Dozens of black students, along with a UF dean, marched on the Alligator offices. The student body president condemned the paper and immediately pulled about $10,000 worth of advertisements. A group of black student journalists began making plans to produce an alternative publication.

"I didn't expect it, but I'm always prepared, especially when it comes to Andy Marlette," said Gimignani, referring to the 26-year-old white Alligator staffer who drew the cartoon. "We certainly did not mean harm. We were trying to make a point."