Editorial cartoon in local newspaper sparks controversy

PITTSBURGH — An editorial cartoon in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Thursday is sparking controversy over the Trayvon Martin shooting in Florida.

The picture, created by cartoonist Rob Rodgers, shows an image of a Ku Klux Klan member, saying he'd like to report a suspicious character hanging around the neighborhood. In the background, there is a tree and what appears to be someone hanging from it.

“I realize that the image of a lynching can be disturbing and horrific, even in a cartoon,” said Rodgers. “But it is the job of an editorial cartoonist to push the boundaries and to use the power of an image to get a point across."

Rodgers goes on to say, “I felt it was my job to show the horror of this injustice for what it really is, with the hope that by bringing attention to it maybe it won't happen as often."

WPXI