Michigan Gannett newspaper sparks outrage after publishing racist ad.
A banner ad with the message "Diversity is the Trojan horse of terrorism" appeared on the front page of a local Michigan newspaper, sparking widespread condemnation and accusations of racism across the state. The ad was paid for by Bowersox Floor Center, a Sturgis-based company, which has a history of running politically charged ads.
The ad was widely criticized as promoting white nationalist rhetoric, with many readers expressing outrage on social media. The company that owned the newspaper, Gannett, acknowledged that the ad should never have been printed and vowed to strengthen its review process to prevent similar errors in the future.
Bowersox Floor Center initially claimed that their message had been "misinterpreted" but later deleted its Facebook page after facing intense backlash. The company's response was seen as an attempt to downplay the racist nature of the ad, with some critics accusing them of using "dog whistles" to convey a sinister message.
The incident has raised concerns about editorial oversight and the prioritization of shareholder profits over responsible journalism. Gannett has faced mounting criticism for gutting local newsrooms across the country in an effort to cut costs. The latest controversy is likely to further erode trust in the company's ability to serve its communities responsibly.
Local residents are speaking out against the ad, with some calling for boycotts of Bowersox Floor Center and the Sturgis Journal. One critic, Vincent Rezas, wrote on Facebook that "if you need floor work done avoid this lame ass Nazi establishment at all costs." Another resident, Steven French, described the ad as "absolutely disgusting behavior from both businesses," adding that it was fear-mongering to suggest that people of different backgrounds are secretly dangerous.
The incident highlights the ongoing struggle for diversity and inclusion in American society. It also underscores the importance of responsible journalism and the need for companies like Gannett to prioritize editorial oversight over shareholder profits.
A banner ad with the message "Diversity is the Trojan horse of terrorism" appeared on the front page of a local Michigan newspaper, sparking widespread condemnation and accusations of racism across the state. The ad was paid for by Bowersox Floor Center, a Sturgis-based company, which has a history of running politically charged ads.
The ad was widely criticized as promoting white nationalist rhetoric, with many readers expressing outrage on social media. The company that owned the newspaper, Gannett, acknowledged that the ad should never have been printed and vowed to strengthen its review process to prevent similar errors in the future.
Bowersox Floor Center initially claimed that their message had been "misinterpreted" but later deleted its Facebook page after facing intense backlash. The company's response was seen as an attempt to downplay the racist nature of the ad, with some critics accusing them of using "dog whistles" to convey a sinister message.
The incident has raised concerns about editorial oversight and the prioritization of shareholder profits over responsible journalism. Gannett has faced mounting criticism for gutting local newsrooms across the country in an effort to cut costs. The latest controversy is likely to further erode trust in the company's ability to serve its communities responsibly.
Local residents are speaking out against the ad, with some calling for boycotts of Bowersox Floor Center and the Sturgis Journal. One critic, Vincent Rezas, wrote on Facebook that "if you need floor work done avoid this lame ass Nazi establishment at all costs." Another resident, Steven French, described the ad as "absolutely disgusting behavior from both businesses," adding that it was fear-mongering to suggest that people of different backgrounds are secretly dangerous.
The incident highlights the ongoing struggle for diversity and inclusion in American society. It also underscores the importance of responsible journalism and the need for companies like Gannett to prioritize editorial oversight over shareholder profits.
... I mean, come on! A company paying a newspaper to run an ad that basically says people of different backgrounds are terrorists? That's not just racist, that's flat out hate speech 
. And Gannett is supposed to be a news organization? They're more worried about cutting costs and making money than doing the right thing. It's like they're saying "oh, we didn't mean it that way" but no one believes that 
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. It's time for companies like Gannett to take responsibility for their actions and actually do some real reporting, not just run ads that make people uncomfortable 
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. We need more than just outrage and boycotts; we need actual change 
.
this is getting outta control, like seriously how do u 2 many ppl can be so racist and expect everyone else 2 just ignore it 
news outlets r supposed 2 hold ppl in power accountable not enable their hate speech 
I mean, come on, folks, if you're gonna run an ad with a message like that, at least have the decency to fact-check it before printing. It's not exactly subtle. 
Gannett needs to step up their game and make sure their editorial team is more...human, I guess? 
Anyway, it's always good for a laugh when people get all worked up over something. It's like the ultimate soap opera, and we're all just here for the drama 
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bowersock floor center should've known better 
but it's the gannett thing that's really giving me a headache 
they're all about cutting costs and sacrificing quality journalism 
i mean, who needs diverse perspectives when you can have more profit margins? 
meanwhile, local readers are speaking out against this racist ad 
and calling for boycotts 
... I mean, who puts up a racist ad on purpose? It's so messed up that they're trying to play it cool with their "misinterpreted" stuff, but we all know what's really going on here 
. As a community, we need to stand together and make sure these kinds of hate groups don't get a platform. Gannett needs to do better than just apologizing and saying they'll review things more closely - they need to take real action to stop this kind of nonsense from happening again 
. A company runs an ad that's straight outta white nationalist playbook on a newspaper, and they're all like "oh, it was misinterpreted" 
. The whole thing reeks of corporate spin and a lack of accountability.
. Newsflash: it's not okay.
. It's not just about the company, it's about the community and the trust that's being lost 
...
and it's not like they even tried to hide the racist undertones, it was right there in the ad like a big ol' neon sign saying "we're messed up". and gannett's response? weak sauce 
they should be firing people left and right over this kind of incompetence. i swear, if you can't even get something as simple as an ad right, how are you supposed to serve the community properly? local newsrooms getting gutted? that's just a recipe for disaster 
. And what's with Gannett trying to downplay their part in all of this? They need to take responsibility for printing something so egregious and make sure it never happens again 
. We should be supporting companies that promote love and acceptance, not ones that try to divide us with their racist nonsense 
what a joke. gannett needs to get its act together, like seriously revamp the way they monitor ads or whatever before publishing them. we need responsible journalism not just some company making cash off people's ignorance