Suffolk County Looks to Pull Advertising from Local Newspaper
By Erica Jackson*
Democratic Legislators along with members of the NAACP and the Urban League of Long Island held a rally today at the The Smithtown Messenger Newspaper offices on Main Street in Smithtown to condemn the newspaper and demand an apology for an editorial montage that was published by the paper on April 29.
Photo by Erica Jackson We are not sure what they were trying to demonstrate, said Legislator Ricardo Montano (D- Brentwod). Our opinion is that this was clearly a racial statement by a newspaper that receives county funding.
The Montage, which was acquired from the Internet, depicts President Obama and his wife as characters from the 1970s sitcom Sandford & Son. It has stirred up much controversy over the past week and prompted the The Smithtown Messenger Newspaper to run an apology in its May 6 issue.
In his apology, Philip Sciarillo, publisher and editor in chief of The Smithtown Messenger, writes that the publication, regrets any offense taken by our readers at the photographic political satire depicting the current and past presidents appearing on the editorial page in the April 29, 2010 issue. While we have grave disagreement with the policies of the current Administration, we hold the office of the President of the United States in great respect.
The apology goes on to state, We hold dear the principles of freedom and tolerance upon which our great nation was founded. We are mindful that the satire seemed to some in poor taste. At the same time, we reject the notions that elected officials, at any level of government or of any race, creed or color, can hold themselves above the law...or immune from satire.
The apology, however, said Legislator Montano is inadequate. He said, They have the right to say what they want, but to condemn the first African American president is quite frankly disgusting.
Photo by Erica Jackson Legislator DuWayne Gregory (D-Amityville), who is the only African American legislator in Suffolk County, agreed and said, This is not about politics this is about respecting the community. We want justice to be done.
That justice, he said will come in the form of a resolution that he will lay on the table at the county legislatures May 11th meeting and be voted on sometime in June.
The resolution, if approved, would withdraw all county support in the form of legal notice advertising from The Smithtown Messenger.
According to Legislator Gregory, the county contracted The Smithtown Messenger last year for $50,000 to print its legal notices.
He said, Suffolk County should not be subsidizing racism.
Pulling the legals, said Legislator Montano, does not infringe on the rights of free press. Instead, he said, the legislature will be saying, you can publish this kind of trash, but it should not be government funded.
Photo by Erica JacksonRev. Roderick A. Perason, president of the Islip NAACP agreed and said, This should send a message to every publication and corporation: We will show up at your office and let you know that this type of racism is disgusting and we will hurt you where your hurt most your pocketbook and advertising.
Sciarillo said he stands by his apology and called the rally a political play. He said, The government is taking the freedom of the press away from us and telling us what we can and can not print. It all stems back to a political agenda from the county.
Sciarillo further went on to defended his editorial satire, questioning why it is being deemed racist. He said, Sanford and Son was about a happy-go-lucky family. And if you want to read into it an analyze it you could say that Sanford tried to scheme and get money to survive and that is what our President is doing to get our economy back in order and it hasnt been working.
But, those at the rally argued that the montage is clearly racist because it depicts a stereotypical African American bickering family. Not to mention, said Legislator Montano, Sanford was a garbage man, an occupation not to be compared to the office of the President.
We have come a long way since then, said Montano, who added, racism is like porn, you know it when you see it.
*Editorial note: In the name of full-disclosure ,it should be mentioned that Erica Jackson was employed by the Smithtown Messenger from 1999-2001