Lobo apologizes for mistake in column

It is with great regret that I write this editorial to apologize to Daily Lobo readers and columnist Richard Berthold.

An inexcusable mistake slipped past me and made it into Thursday’s Opinion section. Berthold’s column opened by stating, “It is certainly understandable that some old lady clutching an icon of the Virgin might not fully understand the meaning of free expression.” Unfortunately, a Daily Lobo staff member who was producing the page for publication thought it would be amusing to insert “Virgin of Guacamole.” No one caught the religious slur, and it was published.

Berthold and many readers were understandably upset by the change. The production assistant who made the change was fired for his action, but I still accept full responsibility for the error. Berthold composed a column in defense of free speech that was marred by a student’s poor sense of humor. Thankfully, Berthold does not take himself too seriously and was satisfied by the newspaper’s explanation. To the pleasure and disappointment of many, he has agreed to continue offering his unique perspective periodically on the opinion page.

While we are still students, the New Mexico Daily Lobo staff strives to maintain a high level of professionalism. I assure you that the act of one former staff member does not reflect the editorial responsibility maintained by more than 100 others who work hard to produce the newspaper daily. We hope our readers will look past the mistake and thank them for their patience.

Iliana Lim¢n

Editor in chief