I am disappointed in the Portland Press Herald’s decision to ban “Non Sequitur” from the comics on the basis of one distasteful panel.
An appropriate response would have been to ban that particular day’s strip – which didn’t happen, because no one noticed (or acted) when the strip was submitted.
The offensive word was not easy to see. And, if it had been stated as “*#@@!” or “(bleep),” would that have been OK as far as the Press Herald was concerned? Even though most people would know exactly what word was implied? This paper routinely quotes comments involving vulgarities in a similar way, so it is certainly not above implying such inappropriate language.
And I find it ironic that next to the announcement of the banning – on the front page of the March 17 Maine Sunday Telegram! – was a headline that at first glance I thought crude: “Novelty name-changes thrill fans: Go Bloobs!” Read that quickly and it sure looks like a disparaging remark about breasts. Hardly comfortable for half of your readers.
Barbara Snapp
Brunswick
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