On page 14 of the September 8 edition of the Village Voice, there was a huge photo of a man wearing a T-shirt with the inscription “JESUS IS A C_ _ _” (obscene term for female genitalia). There was no accompanying story: only two sentences commenting on “street people” appeared on the page (there were four other smaller photos).
Catholic League president William Donohue issued the following news release on this subject:
“I called Lynn Yeager, the person who wrote the two sentences, and photo editor Meg Handler. On their voice mail, I left just one question: if instead of Jesus, Martin Luther King’s name had been printed on the T-shirt, would they have run it? They have yet to get back to me. Presuming they were honest, is there anyone who doubts what they would say?
“The gratuitous nature of this ‘article’ (is it a news story?) speaks volumes about the Village Voice. It also explains why they have to give their paper away free: who would buy it?
“Some might say that I would be judgmental if I used the word ‘evil’ to describe this. They are right, and that’s exactly how I feel. Perhaps someone at the Voice can explain to me why they don’t share my sentiment.”
The Voice’s legacy remains intact.
