INTERRACIAL BAN

While the editors of The Arizona Republic have likely never uttered words to the effect of a ban on interracial photos, a recent decision has attracted the attention of a few concerned journalists outside the state's largest daily.

Apparently, editors from Republic ran a front-page June 11 story about the thriftiness of weekday weddings, but relegated the photo of an interracial couple to the inside out of concern over how readers might view it.

Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig, president of the National Association of Black Journalists, writes in her letter to Republic Publisher Sue Clark-Johnson:

We understand that a meeting was held shortly after the incident between the editors who made the decision and editors/staff who were upset with the move. We know that promises were made that decisioins like this would not be made again without input from more people. However, this precedent again sends a confusing message. Why should there ever be a discussion as to whether or not art that highlights and promotes the real diverse community we live in be used or not?

It's one thing to be concerned how images of Iraq war casualties or gruesome photos of senseless carnage might affect daily newspaper readers. It's quite another to kowtow to readers who subscribe to the racist, 19th century extremist viewpoint that races should not intermingle.