The Chimp Cartoon

[Anonymous]

OK, I'm a raving liberal, and I'm white.

I don't see the racism in the chimp cartoon. If the chimp's face looked like Obama, or he had some other sign that he was supposed to be Obama, I would be offended. But instead, I understand there was a big story up in the NY area about a chimp that the cops shot to death?

Are we supposed to believe that monkeys/chimps/gorillas are always a code for African Americans? I really hoped we were getting past this kind of thing.....

Fellow liberals, I ask you: Was it a slam against Obama? Racist?

[Anonymous]

What are you talking about?

[Anonymous]

No but I am not surprised that Al Sharpton has yet again tried to turn something into a mess.

[jsteele]

Obviously, we can't read the cartoonist's mind and understand his motivations. However, I think we can agree to the following:

1) the stimulus bill is widely considered to be "Obama's Bill";
2) blacks have historically been caricatured as monkeys;
3) the suggestion that the monkey in the cartoon authored the stimulus bill could be construed as suggesting that Obama is a monkey;
4) a suggestion that Obama is a monkey would generally be considered racist. You may remember a McCain supporter causing a controversy during the campaign by bringing a stuffed monkey to a campaign rally (I believe the monkey had an Obama sticker on it).

Hence, it should be clear to most anyone that a cartoon that can easily be interpreted as suggesting Obama is a monkey would generally be considered racist. Even if that was not the cartoonist's intent, any editor with a brain cell should have understood that the cartoon was not appropriate and brought that to the cartoonist's attention. But, let it be noted that I have no problem with inappropriate cartoons being published. However, in such cases, the cartoonist should not be surprised if he is slammed for being a racist asshole.

[Anonymous]

I actually consider the stimulus bill to be Nancy's bill, and after all of her cosmetic procedures she does resemble a chimp, doesn't she?

[zumbamama]

I'm in agreement with Jeff. I've heard the monkey term thrown around in derogatory reference to African Americans...as well as Filipinos. I've seen it in movies, read it in books, heard it in passing.

When I saw the cartoon, I thought why is the artist using a chimp to depict Obama? That's messed up! It seems like a racist jab, even if he didn't intend it to be. But it's hard to believe an artist wouldn't be aware of how people would react to imagery like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually consider the stimulus bill to be Nancy's bill, and after all of her cosmetic procedures she does resemble a chimp, doesn't she?

Perhaps, but I've never seen a white chimp.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:Obviously, we can't read the cartoonist's mind and understand his motivations. However, I think we can agree to the following:

1) the stimulus bill is widely considered to be "Obama's Bill";
2) blacks have historically been caricatured as monkeys;
3) the suggestion that the monkey in the cartoon authored the stimulus bill could be construed as suggesting that Obama is a monkey;
4) a suggestion that Obama is a monkey would generally be considered racist. You may remember a McCain supporter causing a controversy during the campaign by bringing a stuffed monkey to a campaign rally (I believe the monkey had an Obama sticker on it).

Hence, it should be clear to most anyone that a cartoon that can easily be interpreted as suggesting Obama is a monkey would generally be considered racist. Even if that was not the cartoonist's intent, any editor with a brain cell should have understood that the cartoon was not appropriate and brought that to the cartoonist's attention. But, let it be noted that I have no problem with inappropriate cartoons being published. However, in such cases, the cartoonist should not be surprised if he is slammed for being a racist asshole.

I agree with Steele as well. I am black and when I first saw the cartoon, I did not not even think of Obama. As a lawyer, I immediately thought that the reference must be to congress and that the cartoonist was just saying that the bill was so bad that a "chimp" must have written it. That said, for the reasons that Jeff listed, the Post should have anticipated the reaction that it got and will just have to deal with the fall-out. Also, that fact that the NYPD tends to be a bit trigger happy when it comes to men of color was not lost on my when I first saw it.

[Anonymous]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8207085


Here's the full statement by Col Allan, editor-in-chief of the Post:
"The cartoon is a clear parody of a current news event, to wit the shooting of a violent chimpanzee in Connecticut. It broadly mocks Washington's efforts to revive the economy. Again, Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist."

totally a stretch - the connection btw. the stimulus package and the monkey gone mad

[Anonymous]

I think that as a culture, we are way to busy looking for offense when none is intended. I didn't think the cartoon was funny, but I didn't think of Obama at all when I looked at it until I read the story under the cartoon in the paper.

We need to take a collective chill pill and put our energies towards the positive.

[Anonymous]

Well, David Schuster is on the record that he considers it absolutely horrible and over the top!!! Which? Fine. But he's supposed to be a journalist. I'm reminded of "Broadcast News": Who cares what you think?

[Anonymous]

Holder's comments are timely with this cartoon.

Why would a white person want to have an open discussion about race? It always ends in insults and accusations of racism. I for one just avoid any sort of discussion of race. I don't think white people should open their mouths, or utter the word chimp, even at the zoo, you never know who might be listening and take it the wrong way.

[Anonymous]

I clearly thought it was a reference to the Chimp Gone Wild in NY. Didn't think it racist at all. But, having thought of it, could see how some folks might view it that way.

[Anonymous]

I didn't link it with Obama, but I'm white. I thought it was a stupid cartoon, though, not clever at all. And the idea someone would draw a cartoon referring to that chimp that pretty much tore off a woman's face and hands is pretty disgusting.

[Anonymous]

From Ben Smith's Politico blog today:

Post apologizes

Or at least, this editorial is as close to an apology as I've ever seen from the New York Post:

Wednesday's Page Six cartoon - caricaturing Monday's police shooting of a chimpanzee in Connecticut - has created considerable controversy.

It shows two police officers standing over the chimp's body: "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill," one officer says.

It was meant to mock an ineptly written federal stimulus bill.

Period.

But it has been taken as something else - as a depiction of President Obama, as a thinly veiled expression of racism.

This most certainly was not its intent; to those who were offended by the image, we apologize.

However, there are some in the media and in public life who have had differences with The Post in the past - and they see the incident as an opportunity for payback.

To them, no apology is due.

Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon - even as the opportunists seek to make it something else.

With the Times -- well, not apologizing, but at least being forced to print something by a lawsuit; and the Post using the word "apologize," it's a day worth noting in the shift of power away from the newspapers.