VINO’s cartoon, Skelton Cline’s remarks ‘disturbing and grossly offensive’ — Governor
Governor Augustus Jaspert has condemned local news website Virgin Islands News Online’s (VINO) controversial cartoon with him kneeling on the neck of radio talkshow host Claude Skelton Cline.
He has also denounced Skelton Cline’s June 9 statements that led to the website making the cartoon in the first place.
In a statement on Tuesday morning, June 16, Governor Jaspert said he was made aware of the cartoon and comments by Skelton Cline today and “was appalled and disturbed by what they depicted and insinuated”.
“It is grossly offensive and unacceptable to use George Floyd’s tragic death in this way. Freedom of speech is an important and vital principle of our society. The media carries a responsibility to ensure that principle is not abused or operates outside the bounds of decency,” the governor said.
The governor also used the opportunity to denounce any statements or acts of racism.
He said: “The horrific death of George Floyd in the United States has moved us all and sent shockwaves around the world. There should be no place for racism in any society, and I actively stand with those who oppose racism, and who are highlighting injustice and prejudice in the aftermath of the tragic death of George Floyd. I hope we can come together as a community to say no to racism in any form.”
VINO responds to backlash with insults
The news website’s cartoon sparked widespread public outrage on social media on Monday with several several residents and public figures calling for VINO to remove the post.
But since the public backlash, the Julian Willock-owned website has given strong indications that it has no intentions of removing the cartoon.
In a statement amid the public citicism on Monday, management of the website sought to insult persons who have publicly condemned the cartoon. It dismissed those persons as attention-seekers — some or all of whom VINO suggested are harbouring feelings of ‘white guilt’.
“It’s head-shaking that some locals with dubious characters, like a former teacher and political aspirant with a shady past, now seeking attention, will use this cartoon to seek political points. Their lack of moral qualities have preceded them, so, therefore, no one is taking them seriously, particularly, the good people of District 3. To our surprise, a failed civil servant professing to be a Christian, who was given an opportunity to run an important government department where she treated her workers and some members of the public with disdain and insensitivity and was chased out of the Department because of her incompetence, had the audacity to call business persons and go on social media asking advertisers to not support the news site,” VINO said.
Website denies racism, distances Speaker from cartoon
Management of the site also sought to distance House of Assembly Speaker Willock from the cartoon, adding that VINO rejects acts of racism. The website said it was not trying to “downplay the seriousness” of the global ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests that have been happening since the May 25 killing of 46-year-old African-American, George Floyd.
VINO’s cartoon was inspired by the controversial circumstances surrounding Floyd’s death. He was killed on the streets of Minneapolis, USA when a caucasian police officer kneeled on his neck for just under 9 minutes.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
They are horrible. It’s not a news site. Its just some tabloid that is screaming to get their way.
Horrible and hateful people.
I say NO to V–.
We know who you are one of the touchy sensitive type but to each his own . We love VINO
It’s not touchy sensitive. It’s called decency. Look it up, it’s something that can make mankind great.
That website is who they are – They love confrontation in every form. If you like that an get excited by it, stay with hem, if you don’t like it then move on. It is how society is now sadly – there is no middle ground anymore. Everything is extreme right, or extreme left, and any thoughts of tolerance for those that disagree will end in you being called the bigot and the one without tolerance. You cannot win this battle! Society will have to implode and re-set. It is just the way the pendulum works in Western society.
However distasteful the cartoon is the Pastor as he is called needs to give serious thoughts about his words to the Public. He clearly is an enticer of manipulation.
He don’t seem to understand you can’t walk with God while holding the devil’s hand
His tongue Loose Looseee! He probably have something on VIP as to why they can’t muzzle he!!!
The way the readers comments are filtered on the news article for their statement is laughable- only comments backing VINO are allowed to be published! Shame on you —.
Doesn’t matter, the site’s publishing managers/directors of the comment section appear struggling with a biasness unparalled in journalism.
Appear they post only what subscribes to their personal preference, ideas and philosophies.
Not new, however, such are the ways od most to all media outlets today, a page right out of the gestapo a few decades back.
Yep. Based on their statement above I commented there that even their so called justification was seeking to stir up racial hatred.
Of course they did not publish it.
MrWillock owns the site. Presumably then he agrees with their r—-m.
Governor grossly offensive is an understatement. The owner(s) of VINO should be held to account for this irresponsible form of journalism.
Please change to like, thanks.
If people could be just as vocal about other troubling issues and grievances in our society.
Take this time to look within and check yourselves: your prejudices, discrimination, oppressing others, wicked minds and hearts.
That yellow site is like many others who are reckless with their mouths and actions towards others. The only difference is, it has a wider audience.
Boycott the site then take this as a lesson to check your own ways.
I listened to the man of the Loin Cloth, and was horrified to hear the amount of HATE spewing out of his hole.
He said racism is right here! MY God!
Well Sah, I find it is so close to him he can touch it when he scratches his head. Biggest divider’s tag teamed with Slim Shady. Their gang is putting out the fire with gasoline.
He does not deal with day to day operations.
Well then will the real J**n Le***rd Please Stand Up! What a Cock Crock!!!
You dig a hole for somebody else, though you and your burro’s going to fall in it.
The oppressors speaking
Now you know its offensive? Cline said what he said almost a week ago, if wasn’t for VINO you wouldn’t know a thing. Don’t fight the platform, fight the messenger.
And the matter has been amplified. Governor ignored what CSC said. But others are taking it too far now. How the h€!! can anyone use what happened to George Floyd, a grown @$$ man calling out for his dead mama, in this way? What kind of human beings are we living among?
Let’s hope that you, Watchman, does not end up like George and others use the image in a cartoon.
The level of evil in the place. You and the cartoonists are no different from Chauvin? Look at it from that perspective. But maybe you cannot because you e— like Chauvin.
You have no idea how many around the world far and near black, pink, yellow, white, blue felt about that incident.
We live in a country were we have freedom of speech and the governor or no one should try to sensor our speech or thoughts we not in China. I don’t care and the majority don’t care what or how the governor and his friends think. What appalling is the governor with his tit for tat it’s comic intended to make people laugh so get over it , you attention that’s all.
We live in a country where we have of freedom of speech, indeed.
And, we also live in a country where we were taught (and have come to agree with) do unto others as you would like them do unto you.
How insensitive to use the image of another living human literally dying under the feet of another begging and pleading for his life in the form of a political cartoon? Tell me if that is not evil. Eyes, tell me that this is NOT evil; that’s all I am asking.
There is a time to speak and a time not to speak. There is a time not to joke and a time to joke. There is a time for everything under the sun. Ever heard about that? You have heard about freedom of speech. Me too. But I guess that I today have to accept that that freedom of speech bubbles forth from good sources as well as evil sources.
And I guess you never heard that a lie never bother no one but it’s the truth that hurts. Many cartoon comics about ministers being hang some with purses running and jail cell awaiting them but no one lash out but because of what is perceive to be facts and whom it accused it’s wrong to you and others . And the word also says the rain doesn’t fall on one man house roof . It falls on the just and the unjust . When it comes to anything against the crown we out of place we neither house or Field servants you or them can’t tell us how and what we feel this is 2020 freedom of speech . You and however can dislike it’s your right.
What is the Territory’s specific law on rights to free expression?
I agree. I think people are bashing Vino strictly based on their perceived reputation and not just about what they did. They simply illustrated what CSC said. Look back at all of their cartoons they always use inspiration from something that was actually said or done that was in the news. If people should be offended it should be directed towards CSC.
What’s disturbing is that vino still feel as if they did no wrong. It’s funny how hate and racism is accepted when it’s one sided. When you go on that side all that is promoted is hate hate hate and more hate especially towards expats.
I am with you Gov. I applaud your response.
Sometimes it is those who claim to be lovers of God, the God of righteousness and justice, are the same ones who are the most despicable beings – stirring up confusion and problems These kinds can hide who they are for a season but cannot truly hide who they are forever. In due time, their true devilish colors are shown. They are the tares among the wheat. (Matthew 13: 24-30)
Poison is on the inside of tares. Tare grains look like wheat but they are counterfeit. And there are many counterfeit Christians.
Pure $h!t that last paragraph is!
“VINO’s cartoon was inspired by the controversial circumstances surrounding Floyd’s death. He was killed on the streets of Minneapolis, USA when a caucasian police officer kneeled on his neck for just under 9 minutes.”
White privilege is having a fancy unpaid house, a governor husband and still have your wife fighting bvislanders out of a teaching job during a pandemic. What happen to good old volunteering. You people don’t seem to understand all that black people fighting for. The best of some you house slave-minded people is to silence the ones who bold enough to draw attention to an issue. Shame on c-t, shame on political aspirants, shame on who see magistrate sister died with injustice. Y’all so short sighted for attention and power. All you full of filth!!!!!
@Okkkkkkkk so yes and no. The white privilege isnt the “free house” (it isnt free it is part of the Governor’s salary package) it is that in 2020 we have a white male governor. The UK is an ethnically diverse country where about 20% of the population identifies in a non-white category. It is a disgrace that we have never had a female governor (from a pool of 32 million people) let a alone a person of colour (from a population of nearly 13 million people). That’s the scandal: that’s the institutional racism and sexism.
Still I see that Bermuda just got a new Governor and she is both female and of Afro-Caribbean ethnicity (Lena Galgie). Hooray! Let’s hope we can see this change here in BVI when the current Governor steps down.
As for Mrs Jaspert: I think you are being horribly unfair. She is an experienced primary years teacher. She hasnt worked since coming to the Territory in 2017, like most dependent spouses, as I understand, she would not have been entitled to apply for a change of status for three years. Three years has passed and she wants to contribute to the community as an educator. That role would have been advertised and just like any other work permit position, the school would have needed to demonstrate that no suitably qualified / experienced BVIslander applied.
What BVI news think of the head of state’s w— competing with locals for teaching job during a pandemic? Assuming that BVI news is fair and balance?
Well said Governor. Have a great day!
We are looking past the fact that this new site is owned and operated by the current speaker of the House. I am sure no can believe that he is separate from VINO. Anyone with half a brain can tell that he is the one who wrote that despicable statement yesterday bashing persons in the community who stood up for what was right and proper. No sensible and trained journalist could right such nonsense. And you could see the nastiness dripping from the words. There is no board of directors for VINO because it is not an incorporated entity. Check the Registry of Corporate affairs and you will see. It is Julian Willock doing business as VINO. Google their many lawsuits and you will see how the court addresses them in the judgement. Enough is enough. The Premier and his government are culpable if they are comfortable with having this man sit in the House on their strength with the conduct he displays and the turmoil who creates in this small community with his h– site. He was already not f– to be there and now it is worse.
is enough hypocrisy and disingenuiness to fill this globe 1999 times, and still racism, in all its evil, will continue to exist upon earth, for as long as one race of people, either Black or white, remains on earth. History has clearly indicated that to be factual.
A critical comment was negated/not posted, blocked, which would have lend enlightened context to the racial divided existing in this country, created not by locals.
Sad that journalism has become so, pandering, elitist and preferrential, chicken and fearful in its discourses.
Some simply wish not be brought face to face with their own truthful inequities.
History has taught much about such practices. One only has to study the period between 1939-1945 to acsertain that.
Can someone say this is NEWS in CARTOON form.!!!
AJU Jaspert can cart his holy than thou fake hypocritical @$$. Black Britons Matters. Blacks are approx 3% of the UK population but 8% of people dying in custody. Was he sickened by the thousand of Black people lynched in UK and US. Was he sickened by the number of slaves murdered, brutalized and dehumanized in the colonies. Was he sickened by the ill treatment and no man’s situation of the Windrush Generation. Was he sickened by racist Enoch Powell’s River of Blood speech in April 1968. Was he sickened when Barack Obama, the 44th President and first Black to elevate to the US Presidency (Is it a coincidence that the UK has not had a Black Prime Minister as yet, being a country much, much longer than the US), was caricatured as an ape; Michel Oboma caricatured as ape in heels.
He is a media w….e and likes being in the press so he knows about freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of the press. We celebrate the press when it is lavishing us with praise but it is the devil it does something what we don’t like, especially if it is about us. VINO has been cartooning for years so has he ever spoke out against other images? We got to roll with the good, the bad and ugly. So what is next muzzling of the press? Get some old wife kin.
UK has a very shameful record on racism, and there is a long, long way to go. We need to do better.
That said, whilst people of colour are unfairly targeted by police in the UK, I do believe that the US seems to be on an entirely different level of oppression and brutality.
Was the Governor sickened by the Rivers of Blood speak in 1968? Weird question: he wasnt born until 11 years later. Was he sickened by the way the American right characterised the Obamas? Almost certainly, internationally this treatment was roundly derided.
The scandal here is that the Speaker of the House is allowed to continue to operate a media outlet. This is c********n and damages the framework of democracy. The cartoon is in poor taste but they are entitled to say it.
I wonder if the late M L K was around To Day if he would have approved of the Cartoon.? I’ll like to ask C S C and VINO that question.
S———n C—e is grossly disturbing.
wretched victims and colonialisms’ collateral damage, on both sides, would find such condemable, denouncable, offensive and unacceptable. Stop the pretenses and face the truths and facts, then mobilize the races to get rid of those entrenched prejudices.
“Prejudice is an emotional commtment to ignorance.”
Ironically, in his time here , Governor Jaspert has done more for the BVI than CSK and Willock, combined.
Willock is also associated with s—- c—s on Tortola
island people shouldnt b allowed to comment on US happenings
mind ur own business please island people
Go to vino to talk your dumbness.. You must not live on this ISLAND. Dig a hole for yourself and kindly relieve everyone by going inside.