A New York City paper is in the hot seat for running a headline that called President Barack Obama the N-world.
James Lincoln Collier, who wrote the article, apparently thought it was a good idea to use the headline "The N----- in the White House" to call out what he says is the racism expressed by far-right voters.
But the attempt backfired and he and the WestView News are under fire for publishing the uncensored headline in its latest edition.
"The decision to use the headline feels misguided to me," Alvin Hall, a black columnist, wrote in an article in the same paper, according to the New York Post. "I don't see how its use benefits anyone, but I do feel all too clearly how it deeply offends me."
Collier, who is pro-Obama, wrote the article to let the world know that racism persists and that conservatives don't like the president because of his race.
"Far-right voters hate Obama because he is black," Collier's article reads. "The simple truth is that there is still in America an irreducible measure of racism.
"America's increasing tolerance of far-right opinion has made racism more acceptable."
But critics say using the racial slur was abhorrent and unnecessary.
"I can see his point but the fact that is a headline in this paper that represents the West Village is disgusting," Florence told PIX 11.
The newspaper's 86-year-old editor, George Capsis, made it clear the staff does not support the use of the N-word. Collier pushed for the headline to "shock us into accepting that there are people who believe and use this outrageous word," Capsis wrote according to the Post.
"Jim reminded me that The New York Times avoids using the word which convinced me that West View should," Capsis continued.
This is not the first time Capsis has been involved in a scandal. He slapped Senator Brad Hoylman in the face at a rally for then mayoral candidate Christine Quinn last year.
Collier did not respond to the Post's request for comment.
