The Oklahoman newspaper -- which in 1999 was named entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/53654091.html" target="_blank">"The Worst Newspaper in America" by the Columbia Journalism Review -- is coming under fire for publishing a syndicated cartoon this week depicting Sonia Sotomayor strung up as a pinata.
The cartoon, by Creator's Syndicate Chip Bok, also shows a sombrero-donning President Obama handing out baseball bats to members of the GOP.
(Click here to see the June 2 cartoon.)
"A picture speaks louder than words and that cartoon sends a message to women of all ages: 'Back off. Know your place. Or we'll take a stick to you and teach you a lesson,'" wrote Jean Warner, the chair of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition.
Back in 1999, the Columbia Journalism Review flogged the paper for touting the right-wing, anti-gay views of its owners, the Gaylord family, and suppressing stories that would reflect negatively upon the family.
The Oklahoman has not returned a call or email for comment.
Bok, the cartoonist, responded to the criticism in a news article by Oklahoma TV station KOCO.
"Since she emphasized her Latina-ness and played it up as a virtue, I thought, 'Well, how about a fiesta and a pinata?'" he said. "This is a Mexican thing, but again, we're dealing with stereotypes. That's all kind of the joke, I thought."
