# Newspaper Self-Censorship Examples

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-self-censorship-examples/1013764>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Tags:** trump\
**Created:** [February 2, 2025, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-self-censorship-examples/1013764 "2025-02-02T17:15:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-self-censorship-examples/1013764/1 "2025-02-02T17:15:34Z")

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This is on page 2 of the Sunday February 2, 2025 Philadelphia Inquirer:

> [@](#):
>
> The Inquirer elected not to publish the “Doonesbury” cartoon strip submitted for publication in today’s newspaper because it used language to describe the verdict in E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump that did not meet our editorial standards for accuracy and fairness.

The language in question is the word “rape,” as might commonly used when someone, in this case Donald Trump, has been found by a jury to have penetrated a women, with an object or body organ, against her will.

The Washington Post did publish the cartoon. I do not see how to give a gift link for that, so here is another link to the cartoon:

> **[Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for February 02, 2025 | GoComics.com](https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2025/02/02)**
>
> February 02, 2025

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**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-self-censorship-examples/1013764/2 "2025-02-02T18:14:13Z")

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> [@PhillyGuy](#):
>
> The Washington Post did publish the cartoon.

How long before they publish a simpering retraction praising our dear leader, and quit carrying the comic strip? A lawsuit is coming - probably against every outlet that published it, the comic syndicate, and Garry Trudeau.

What was the other outlet that just gave in because they used the term “rapist” instead of “sexual assault”, which is what he was adjuicated for (even though it’s a difference with little distinction).

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**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-self-censorship-examples/1013764/3 "2025-02-02T22:50:26Z")

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> [@PhillyGuy](#):
>
> The language in question is the word “rape,” as might commonly used when someone, in this case Donald Trump, has been found by a jury to have penetrated a women, with an object or body organ, against her will.

And the _Philadelphia Inquirer_ writer who produced that excuse knows perfectly well that the New York verdict didn’t use the word “rape” not because the act didn’t meet the definition of “rape” in most jurisdictions, but because it’s a peculiarity of NY law that “rape” must involve a particular body part.

So the excuse is wholly disingenuous.

(Great thread topic.)

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**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-self-censorship-examples/1013764/4 "2025-02-02T23:00:27Z")

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I remember the Doonsebury cartoon in which Trump wanted the cieling of his bathroom painted with Michelangelo’s rendition of the awakening of Adam by God. He complained because the artist made a mistake, putting his face on Adam and not God.