Daily Illini Surrenders to Cartoon Jihad, Fires Editor

Wed, Mar 15, 2006 at 9:33:43 am PST

The editor of the University of Illinois’ student paper, the Daily Illini, has been fired for publishing the Danish Mohammed cartoons. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)

CHAMPAIGN, Illinois (AP) — An editor who chose to publish caricatures of Prophet Mohammed in the University of Illinois’ student-run newspaper last month has been fired, the paper’s publisher announced Tuesday.

Acton H. Gorton was suspended, with pay, from The Daily Illini days after the Feb. 9 publication of the cartoons, which sparked Muslim protests around the world after they first appeared in a Danish newspaper.

At the time, Daily Illini publishers said the action was taken against Gorton not for publishing the cartoons, but for failing to discuss it with others in the newsroom first.

The Illini Media Co. board of directors, which comprises students and faculty, voted unanimously to fire the editor after a review “found that Gorton violated Daily Illini policies about thoughtful discussion of and preparation for the publication of inflammatory material,” according to a statement.