LAST WEEK’S cover image not only damaged Connect Savannah itself.
Much more importantly, it badly damaged the community we serve.
Racial inequity and injustice have a long history in Savannah, and certainly didn’t begin with our extremely misguided attempt to parody the iconic Norman Rockwell painting “Freedom From Want.”
The image depicted Mayor Edna Jackson as the matriarch serving turkey at Thanksgiving, in what many people saw as an extremely offensive light.
But that long history only makes our mistake that much more indefensible.
The cover image further divided an already-divided city at the worst possible time. It undermined our mission, and even our very name.
There are some who will never forgive us for it. There are others who agree the cover was a huge mistake, but don’t think all bridges have been burned.
Regardless, it’s our responsibility now to do the best we can do to mitigate the anger and outrage caused by the cover, and to do our best to reconcile with the community.
It’s the right thing, and the only thing, to do.
One of the definitions of institutional racism is that organizations composed of people who aren’t themselves individually racist can support racism indirectly.
No reasonable person who is personally acquainted with any staffer at Connect Savannah would label any of us individually as a racist.
No reasonable person familiar with our body of work would say we’ve been anything but sensitive and proactive in covering issues of racial and economic injustice and inequity—in ways that, before last week anyway, other local media frankly haven’t even come close to doing.
That said, we clearly, obviously, have a lot of work to do. That work has to begin now, and it must continue without end, open-ended and into perpetuity.
No window dressing. No expiration date.
We must as an institution not only work to fix the divide we have caused—clean up our own mess—but work with intentional effort toward breaking down institutional racism within our own walls.
Only then can we effectively do the same thing outside our walls, in the community we serve.
This is work that has to continue regardless of who is in charge, or who is working in what position.
This work will have to include much more input from persons and communities of color.
This work will have to include a much more serious effort at diversifying our staff.
This work will have to include other changes we haven’t even realized need to happen yet.
This work will require education.
We can do this and still fulfill our ongoing commitment to freedom of speech, to a free exchange of ideas, to being a community watchdog, and to speaking truth to power.
In the days following the controversy, a wise local community activist gave me some very pragmatic advice:
She said, “Jim, if Connect Savannah can manage to do this—if the newspaper can, as an institution, address these issues and be the change you want to see—you’ll already be doing more than just about any other institution in Savannah is doing.”
Easier said than done, to be sure. But a worthy goal moving forward, and we will try our best to make it happen.
Whether or not we succeed will be a judgment our readers will make for themselves.
This article appears in Dec 2-8, 2015.
“We can do this and still fulfill our ongoing commitment to freedom of speech…”
This seems to suggest that there might be some (at least apparent) tension between being more inclusive/posting less offensive imagery and Connect’s freedom of speech. But when those of us in the community cried “foul!” at last week’s cover, we weren’t trying in any way to restrict Connect’s *rights*–we were *censuring* Connect’s speech, not restricting it’s right to say or publish what it wants. In effect, we were shouting, “Bad!” That’s an important distinction that has been overlooked often lately in public discourse on race.
Hey, stop with the self-flagellation, already. You can publish anything you want, at least until the First Amendment gets cancelled. Parodying a famous work of art is done by magazines and newspapers all over the world. If people don’t like it, let them avoid looking at it.
“Diversify” your staff just because some folks didn’t like a graphic they saw in your pages? What “education?” You made what you have now been convinced is a mistake. (It wasn’t. It was editorial freedom.) Forget it and move on. The reason it became an issue in the first place is because 90 per cent of your readership didn’t recognize or understand the Rockwell classic it was based on and that is their fault, not yours.
Jim, No one thinks you are a racist or Savannah Connects is racist. It is part of the game that Left plays and now you are eating some of your own cooking.
You (and I) will be called a racist until being called a racist is seen as the new “Red Badge of Courage”, then no one will not be called a racist anymore.
But there will be a new name and attack, as the Left only knows how to destroy. When some on the Left grow-up and understand that freedom, small government and a civil community was always the answer, then a place like Savannah can be more like Charleston.
….and Congratulations to Savannah on the fantastic run-off election results!!!
Yes…add to your education…read “Animal Farm”.
I was not offended by your cover until I was told to be because my first reaction was that it was a warm (and gently humorous) effort to portray the election candidates in harmony and in the Thanksgiving spirit (I am well familiar with the original Rockwell painting). A holiday wish for community and connection despite our differences. I believe this is what you meant to do. So yes, you and Connect have work to do but please be aware that not everyone saw your cover as racist.
You were read the “riot act” by folks from all walks of life. Then The Stone Stairs of Death went and took it to another level on their face book page. Time will tell whether you’ll clean up your act. 90 per cent of the readership are probably asking who is Rockwell. Sure we both know who he was but the schools aren’t teaching anything about him. The elementary, middle, high schools and the universities come under this umbrella. I would say after the dust settles maybe Connect could publish something about Norman Rockwell. Too part none of his work is making its way across country as part an art exhibit, that could provide a reason to do the story.
Nonsense. Nothing racist about that at all. Don’t let the PC stormtrooper a-holes turn you into a cowering simp. Or is it too late?
WHY must media be such cowards? Tell the hypersensitive mfers dying to be offended to go to hell.
Mr. Morekis, whose past public civil rights’ record is beyond reproach, has not offered a lukewarm apology. He simply took full responsibility.
Sure. He could have blamed the controversy on a local lack of appreciation / knowledge / exposure toward the art of Norman Rockwell.
He could have have followed the footsteps of presidential candidate Donald Trump and claimed that we have “no time for political correctness.”
Instead, Mr. Morekis recognized that since a number of fellow human-beings feel uncomfortable over an issue, it must be because they have a legitimate concern.
Claims that the “Left” blackmailed Jim Morekis make me sick.
Several voters, including me, crossed bipartisan loyalties (in a predominantly Democratic town) to support Mayor-Elect Eddie DeLoach.
We gave Mr. DeLoach a try.
Yet. We still respect the office of Mayor of Savannah (no matter who occupies that chair); we still believe in observing basic rules of courtesy when addressing Ms. Edna Jackson and we feel more like listening than lecturing, whenever African-American fellows express discomfort.
Bullying does not denote leadership or character. A true leader makes hard decisions in difficult times.
Thank you, Mr. Morekis, for making tough decisions and showing true leadership.
Your apology does not make you weak. It makes you stronger, more credible and more trustworthy than ever.
You exercised your freedom of speech. How many of us are willing to respect your opinion is anyone’s guess…
At any circumstance… Thanks, Jim, for keeping it real. You make me feel proud to be a resident of Savannah. 🙂
P.S.: the number of editors in my lifetime who had enough character to admit they could have done a better job at one point is: ONE (Mister Jim Morekis.)
J.J. Bellemare
Savannah, Georgia