Note from the editor: Daily News is dropping ‘Dilbert’
The Daily News is dumping “Dilbert.” Last week, the strip’s creator, Scott Adams, launched into a hateful tirade on a YouTube video show saying Black people are a hate group that white people should stay away from.
There’s no need to repeat his exact words, which have been widely reported elsewhere. But they crossed a line that has made it impossible for The News to continue running his content and underwriting his work, a conclusion a growing number of newspapers across the nation have reached.
At a time when America is becoming increasingly defined by its divisions, Adams’ comments fueled racial antipathy in a mean-spirited and ugly way.
The News covers New York, among the most diverse cities in the world. And just as we celebrate the diversity of people, faiths and cultures that shape our community, we welcome diversity of informed thought and opinion.
But this isn’t about tolerance of diverse views. It’s about making clear there’s a bright line between what’s acceptable and what’s not, and that hate should not and cannot be tolerated. And that it certainly will not be endorsed.
You’re going to see “Dilbert” for a few more days on the pages of The News, despite this decision. That’s because the comics are prepared for publication in advance. We will be working with the syndicates that supply our comics in the coming days to remove “Dilbert” as expeditiously as possible and find a replacement you will enjoy.
Some might ask what any given cartoonist’s statements have to do with the strip that appears in the newspaper. “Dilbert” gained popularity as a satirical look at the inner workings of an office. But while Adams’ content is in the form of a comic strip, he is nonetheless a daily contributor to The News and the report we put in front of our readers.
We understand some readers may disagree with this decision, but be assured we are not trying to make a partisan statement here. We are saying there’s a line that can’t be crossed and that Scott Adams (photo) crossed it. And that when you cross that line, you no longer get to be part of the Daily News.