I’ve been debating about whether I really wanted to post this all morning. Heidi gave me the heads up about the New York Post cartoon that was printed in today’s paper and posted on their site. Frankly, I was appalled that such a violent and racist piece could be considered funny. I know it’s not the first time. I know past political figures have been the subject of ridicule and this time will be no different. But this just left a bad taste in my mouth.Why is there a need for “art” like this? To raise controversy? To spark anger, talks, questions? For attention?
I know about freedom of the press. I know about freedom of speech. But those freedoms come with responsibilities. Why use that freedom to spew more hatred into the world? With all there is to say and all the words available to say them, why choose the ones that will cause hurt, fire up the ignorant and slow down progress? I don’t understand why ten steps forward must be accompanied by five steps back.
As a member of the press, I don't think censorship is necessarily the answer. But personally, I don't think I could sleep at night knowing something I created did nothing to improve our world. I want better for the future not worse or even the same. Maybe that's just me.
What do you think? Are people reading too much into the cartoon? Or is this clearly racism? Should artists and writers be able to express themselves freely regardless of their message as long as it doesn't cause immediate violence?
UPDATE: The Post apologizes, but still defends, its cartoon.
UPDATE: Six days later, New York Post Chairman Rupert Murdoch personally apologizes.
Image: nypost.com
Has there ever been a cartoon in such a widely published newspaper KILLING the "concept" of the president? Doubtful. I say concept because the monkey reference is obvious, I don't give a rat's ass what anyone else says is a joke. It's ignorant of the cartoonist, but even more ignorant that the editors and whomever else is in charge let this print. I sent an email to a Black co-worker of mine who emailed me this and simply said "Sometimes I am ashamed." I am ashamed to be white at times, and know that people of color might pass me in the halls and wonder if I laugh at things like this. As you said, freedom comes with responsibilities, and I hope this cartoonist DIDN'T SLEEP. Ignorance.
ReplyDeleteI actually gasped when I read that cartoon. Regardless of what anyone might think of our president, he is The President, and deserves more respect than that. It's unfortunate that the "artist" felt the need to continue the unnecessary stereotype of blacks as monkeys. This should never have been published in any circulated newspaper, let alone the long-established Post. Shameful!
ReplyDeletebad bad bad Freedom of the Press, OK. Free to cancel a subscription: even better....
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe the Post actually published this. Isn't it supposed to be a respectable paper?
ReplyDeleteI did the same thing ChicagoLady did. Big ol' gasp. I'm so disappointed at that cartoon.
ReplyDeleteI can't even understand what the point of drawing that cartoon and then publishing it was. Did I miss something in that somehow President Obama had something to do with the monkey? The two topics aren't even closely related, so why would the cartoonist feel the need to put them together, furthermore in such a racist way?
ReplyDeleteA part of me thinks that this guy draws these things for the shock factor. Perhaps if next time we don't give him as much attention, than he'll stop. He's been doing this for a while now.
I heard on the news tonight, the story behind the cartoon is this: It wasn't meant to imply Obama is a monkey; It was meant that the stimulus was so bad monkeys must have written it. And technically, Obama didn't write the stimulus bill, the House and Senate Democrats did.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the cartoon was taken differently than it was intended, and obviously is getting a lot of news coverage from both blacks and whites.
If I wanted to play innocent, I would say they meant the stimulus bill was written by a monkey or monkeys -- referring to the congressmen who authored it...but I'm in no mood to give some idiot the benefit of the doubt. The double entendre is trash, from either perspective.
ReplyDeleteWI - Thank you. I completely agree. They also said the inference for the cartoon was to link the chimp attack and the stim bill...so now they've given two explanations. And I also heard that this cartoonist has been called out for previous 'toons that had racial implications. I will google when I'm not so tired of it.
ReplyDeleteWow. I am shocked now that I actually see the cartoon. It's despicable.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard for me to put into words how I feel about this cartoon. I was always taught if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. I do just have one question...WHY? Thank you for this post and helping to raise awareness that this crap is still going on!
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