Some say newspaper cartoons offensive

KRQE TV

Updated: Feb 21, 2012 3:18 PM

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) — A series of political cartoons against driver's licenses to illegal immigrants is causing quite a stir. Even the governor says the newspapers cartoons go too far.

The cartoons in the Roswell Daily Record poke fun at the law that gives driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. They've run in the paper over the last year, including one from Friday that features a caricature of an immigrant whose only able to muster the word "si."

"Here you have a gentleman with a cap and a Mexican flag on it," said Javier Martinez from the Partnership for Community Action. "You have this own here crossing the border. As a person of color, they're very offensive."

Martinez called these political cartoons downright racist.

"It's taken it too far in their gross number of stereotypes," said Martinez. "All of these cartoons point to Mexican people."

Immigrant rights advocates said the cartoons prove the debate surrounding the license issue is "out-of-control."

Gov. Susana Martinez also said the cartoons have no place in politics.

"I don't think it does anything good for the argument of why we want to repeal this law," said Gov. Martinez, who said the repeal of the law is an issue of public safety. "It has nothing to do with immigration, so we shouldn't make fun of that or make it part of who we are as New Mexicans."

An editor and the cartoonist for the Roswell Daily Record declined our interview but sent a statement, saying "we at the Daily Record realize that the topic of illegal immigration is a very personal and emotional issue for many people in New Mexico. Given that the state's policy regarding issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants was one of the issues at the forefront of the recent legislative session, we felt it an appropriate subject for a political cartoon. The cartoon was in no way meant to be a disparagement of Hispanics."

Lawmakers and the governor failed for the third time to reach a compromise on the driver's license issue. Gov. Martinez vows to push for the repeal every session.

Copyright 2012 KRQE TV. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Political Pulse

We welcome your thoughtful comments. Be the first to participate in the discussion. All comments will display your username and avatar.