Insulting Globe and Mail Editorial Cartoon

[Fire]

Of course they're portraying indian men broadly to be instantly recognizable way associative to the issue- that's the point! A generalized and visual quip on a current issue. Is it stereotypical? Absolutely! A gross common denominator to a group of people- same with standards of hippies, republicans, liberals, rednecks, etc. That's what satirical cartoons are!

And what exactly is this cartoon satirizing? What is the point we're supposed to get? That India decriminalized gay marriage? I could look at the headlines to learn that.

 

[JasunStrikesBack]

And what exactly is this cartoon satirizing? What is the point we're supposed to get? That India decriminalized gay marriage? I could look at the headlines to learn that.

An excellent point.

It happens too often that people hide behind "satire" when they're really just happy to have an excuse to publish racist/homophobic "comedy."

 

[PATMAN]

holy crap - this thread grew a lot...

and I am ignoring it. I didnt read the last 20 or posts, because I completely agree with Kirbster66 that this is "Truly one of the most stupid threads in JUB history."

 

[JasunStrikesBack]

holy crap - this thread grew a lot...

and I am ignoring it. I didnt read the last 20 or posts, because I completely agree with Kirbster66 that this is "Truly one of the most stupid threads in JUB history."

I always get a kick out of the people who make a point of coming into a thread they're "ignoring" so they can brag about how they're not reading it.

It's the internet forum equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and saying "LALALA I AM NOT LISTENING!!!"

When you know they are.

 

[pigface]

don't portray any race in a denigrating way.

Indian (or India) is a nationality (or country), not a race.
Indians are caucasians = same race as most Canadians.

 

[rareboy]

Rareboy, I understand too.

Seeta is one of the most perceptive and fairminded guys who post on JUB. I had no doubt that he would also see the intent of the cartoon. And right now, I feel really, really ashamed that this is how the people of India are being portrayed to Canadians today.

As you all know, I'm Indian and my family is obviously Indian.

I showed them the picture. Here are the results:

1) All of them (brother, sister, Mom and Aunt) saw monkeys riding on elephants and are very pissed off right now.

I still don't see it! A racist optical illusion, I suppose?

2) Only 2 (brother and sister) saw the homophobic message (after I explained of course); Mom and Aunt still pissed off about the monkeys to care.

My dad doesn't get it.

Your Dad must be too good...not cynical.

We'll see what the letters to the editor bring.

And to Kirbster, Pigface and Patman. I despair. .

 

[undisclosed1234]

And what exactly is this cartoon satirizing? What is the point we're supposed to get? That India decriminalized gay marriage? I could look at the headlines to learn that.

Well first off, you're not supposed to "learn" anything about the issues through the cartoons themselves. They're commentary from the artist, displaying his/her perspective on the issue- all based on the assumption that you're aware of the issues.

And gee whiz, off the top of my head here:

A reflection of the fears of "gay" moving in on the indian male stereotype.

A fun way of reflecting the assumption that there were no gays in indian society until this decree.

The societal fear this news is generating and the (false) preconception that gay men will now be trying to convert every male.

etc, etc.

Boy, it's just amazing the number of things you can get from the picture when you're not ZOMG-ing in "righteous" outrage, isn't it? But Thank God for the rareboys of the world, haha.

 

[Fire]

And gee whiz, off the top of my head here:

A reflection of the fears of "gay" moving in on the indian male stereotype.

A fun way of reflecting the assumption that there were no gays in indian society until this decree.

The societal fear this news is generating and the (false) preconception that gay men will now be trying to convert every male.

And what about the comic should lead us to believe it's a "false" preconception? The way the elephants are drawn, as Jasun said, seems to reinforce the stereotype of gay men pushing themselves on straight ones, not skewer it. What about the dhotis and monkey-men is supposed to make us stop and think, "Hmm, maybe not all Indian men are straight savages?"

The artist gives us no cues to the contrary, so why then should we not take his illustration at face value?

Saying this comic was meant to challenge prejudiced assumptions is like saying Pat Robertson is just being ironic, or Fred Phelps is actually on our side, sort of like Stephen Colbert, see? Only there is nothing to suggest that Phelps and Robertson are being tongue-in-cheek like there is with Colbert--no evidence, in other words--so we must work under the assumption that they are what they appear to be. As with this comic.

 

[rareboy]

^ You've summarized beautifully.

But I think you're probably casting pearls.

 

[purina]

The only comment that they've published that I can find:

No caption required

My thanks to Anthony Jenkins for the charming July 4 editorial cartoon, which deftly captures the innocent joy of two elephants and their mahouts. We should all celebrate with them on the occasion of the New Delhi High Court decriminalizing consensual gay sex between adults.

Straight Canadian friends, travellers all, had no notion what it could possibly be about until I explained. Even then, not one in that well read worldly group warmed to the typical Indian ingenuousness I see in the picture. For my taste, it's terrific - no caption needed.

Edward Bloom, Victoria

Start the conversation

 

[rareboy]

Well, I know of at least four letters of complaint that weren't published, then.

And these were letters written by professionals and politicians.

So much for the press accurately reflecting opinion.

 

[titmouse]

This is a truly absurd thread. I read the article on the legal decision prior to seeing the cartoon. When I saw the cartoon I laughed my ass off (and dropped my wine). I thought it was clever, not racist.

Some people see racist and racism under every bed. Get the fuck over yourselves.

 

[Edward Twinkletoes]

If this is the most insulting thing I ever see I'll be doing really good.

 

[rareboy]

Oh yes, yet another high volume, long term poster offering their opinion.

How many aliases do you have anyway? It is pretty obvious that someone who has posted only 6 times in 4 years really can't be that provoked by this thread to crawl out from under their rock and tell us how absurd this thread is....versus all the other threads on this forum.

Undisclosed. or not.

At any rate, if this was how the black gays in Africa were being visually represented, I'll bet there'd be a lot more discussion. Like when Obama was portrayed as a deranged ape.

 

[rareboy]

BTW, the Globe has disabled comments on the editorial cartoons page so I have to presume that not all the comments thought the cartoon was saccharine sweet like their flack Edward Bloom from BC did.

 

[undisclosed1234]

Oh yes, yet another high volume, long term poster offering their opinion.

How many aliases do you have anyway? It is pretty obvious that someone who has posted only 6 times in 4 years really can't be that provoked by this thread to crawl out from under their rock and tell us how absurd this thread is....versus all the other threads on this forum.

Undisclosed. or not.

At any rate, if this was how the black gays in Africa were being visually represented, I'll bet there'd be a lot more discussion. Like when Obama was portrayed as a deranged ape.

Lol, drop my cock out of your mouth, kiddo.

I abandoned your moral menstruation with my last post and haven't been back since. You're the one bumping this thread days later because there's still blood coming out apparently. Could it just be possible that people find your opinion asinine because *and hold on to your pants there because it takes a pretty radical left turn* it is asinine?

Food for thought from one of those blacks that should be outraged. I'm outie.

 

[rareboy]

....yeah, right. And you just happened to check back in once your name was said three times.

And sad to have to have so many personas just to make up one.

But as I said, if this had been about blacks, I'm sure the shit would have hit the fan.

Anyhow, I believe the message was heard at the Globe from what my inside sources tell me.

 

[davy]

Of course they're portraying indian men broadly to be instantly recognizable way associative to the issue- that's the point! A generalized and visual quip on a current issue. Is it stereotypical? Absolutely! A gross common denominator to a group of people- same with standards of hippies, republicans, liberals, rednecks, etc. That's what satirical cartoons are! What, because they're Indian the cartoon should be photo-referenced Greg-Land piece of art?

I'm the son of a cartoonist and have been exposed to these kinds drawings my whole life. Apparently if you exaggerated features to draw a white person, it's a caricature. If you exaggerated features to represent an ethnic person; it's racism.

Faantastic standards there. Really. Aren't you politically correct and socially conscious? Pat yourselves on the back.

I seriously doubt that a pejoritavely stereoptyped caricature of a white guy really exists.

If it does, google has never heard of it.

 

[Fire]

At any rate, if this was how the black gays in Africa were being visually represented, I'll bet there'd be a lot more discussion. Like when Obama was portrayed as a deranged ape.

Popularly, yes, but even with the chimp comic you had plenty of people here on JUB dismissing it out of hand as a misunderstanding, or hypersensitivity. And really, when it comes right down to it, isn't that all this is? Hypersensitivity? These comics are just a little harmless fun--no one is being denigrated! And you can't tell me it's not funny--Indians do look like monkeys! And those silly little diapers they wear! Don't even get me started on those ridiculous gods they worship!

If people are offended well, *shrug* you can't please everyone. Their fault for being offended, really.

So like, grow a sense of humor

 

[Elwood]

Seeta is one of the most perceptive and fairminded guys who post on JUB. I had no doubt that he would also see the intent of the cartoon. And right now, I feel really, really ashamed that this is how the people of India are being portrayed to Canadians today.



Your Dad must be too good...not cynical.

We'll see what the letters to the editor bring.

And to Kirbster, Pigface and Patman. I despair. .

I think most Canadians are smart enough to distinguish between real life and an editorial cartoon......