Political cartoon racist?

[celtboy]

This is my first foray into the CE&P forum. I will preface my thoughts by saying that I am an extremely left-leaning Liberal from Canada, making my perspective on this situation that of an outsider looking in.

The NAACP and others are all up in arms concerning the cartoon below. (Pic #1)

Here is the story:

Yesterday the New York Post published this cartoon by Sean Delonas.
It likens the author of the stimulus bill, most probably President Barack Obama, with a rabid chimpanzee. What on earth was the editor thinking? It is hard not to interpret the cartoon as racist and violent. The two police officers are holding guns and looking over the dead and bleeding chimpanzee that attacked a woman in Connecticut earlier this week.

New York Post editor-in-chief Col Allen responded to the criticism:

“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.”

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In example #2 below, this widely circulated series of pictures likened Bush to various primates. Why was that considered perfectly acceptable (even funny) and yet the veiled inference towards Obama involves the screaming bloody blue murder?

While I recognise that there is intensely negative history surrounding the term "monkey" for blacks, I am wondering is this double standard not, in and of itself, racist?

Discuss.

 

[Críostóir]

It's a racist attack on Obama. Bush actually looks like a chimpanzee, unlike Obama.

Also, the fact that the police shot the chimpanzee makes it a threat.

Allen is trying to spin it. They only printed it because they had deniability based on the excuse he's giving...but who wrote the stimulus bill, originally? It came from Obama. This cartoonist is a racist who wants Obama shot. The Post should be firing him, and they would if they weren't a race-baiting right-wing hate sheet in the first place.

I will curl my lip at anyone I see reading that pathetic excuse for a newspaper henceforth. Publicly shaming the readership will decrease their sales if enough people do it; if enough readers leave, it will die a well-deserved and long-overdue death.

 

[PabloZed]

I think it is fair to ask whether it was appropriate, not just whether it was racist. As Críostóir mentioned, the problem for me is that the cartoon involves violence and that is completely inappropriate in any discussion of a President - any president. Of course, there is that whole history of images, but I am less concerned about that. The best you can say is that it was tasteless, the worst is that it was malicious.

I think the actions of this particular paper are also suspect since Rupert Murdoch owns the NY Post and the paper has printed other inappropriate cartoons, such as mocking the death of John F. Kennedy, jr.

 

[Críostóir]

I think it is fair to ask whether it was appropriate, not just whether it was racist. As Críostóir mentioned, the problem for me is that the cartoon involves violence and that is completely inappropriate in any discussion of a President - any president. Of course, there is that whole history of images, but I am less concerned about that. The best you can say is that it was tasteless, the worst is that it was malicious.

I think the actions of this particular paper are also suspect since Rupert Murdoch owns the NY Post and the paper has printed other inappropriate cartoons, such as mocking the death of John F. Kennedy, jr.

Rupert Murdoch is as evil as Osama bin Laden, in a different way. I'd love to lock them in a room together...and never come back or unlock it.

 

[celtboy]

The actions of this particular paper are also suspect since Rupert Murdoch owns the NY Post and the paper has printed other inappropriate cartoons.

Thanks for taking the time to explain this, guys. I was not aware of the political leanings of the NY Post. Now I know where to direct my abundant righteous indignation and why!

 

[White Eagle]

^^Thanks for the heads up on Myspace.
As for the pictures of bush and the chimps. I think early in his admin something was said of him being the chimp as to doing what monkeys copy or "ape" what is being done. Something to do with cheney. This is all just my memory, I will try to find links to a site. You got my curiosity going. Btw I have copies of that set of images and have posted them before. I do not think it is racist to bush as nothing in our history have white men been pictured as apes.
The cartoon in the post is very definitely racist and violently inappropriate.
BTW welcome to CE&P.

 

[White Eagle]

Wow! Googling it found it right away..

http://www.bushorchimp.com/

Nothing to do with race at all.

 

[HenryReardon]

In example #2 below, this widely circulated series of pictures likened Bush to various primates. Why was that considered perfectly acceptable (even funny) and yet the veiled inference towards Obama involves the screaming bloody blue murder?

While I recognise that there is intensely negative history surrounding the term "monkey" for blacks, I am wondering is this double standard not, in and of itself, racist?

Discuss.

Of course its a double standard.
As far as the left is concerned any attack on Bush, no matter how repulsive, is OK.
As far as race pimps like Sharpton and Jackson are concerned everything is about race.


The item in question is a political cartoon, and a particularly benign one, at that.

Look at the history of political cartoons, particularly in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The item in question is pretty tame, by comparison.

And, no, its not even remotely racist, despite what the somewhat hysterical fools are saying.

 

[White Eagle]

The cartoon has nothing to do with Bush. It has everything to do with Obama.

I agree. celtboy said it was his first foray into the CE&P and was wondering if the pix of bush compared to chimps was racist. At least that was the way I read his post. So I looked up the site that started the pix of bush and chimps.
celtboy you gotta overlook what HenryReardon says. He is a hopeless fan of the repug "whatevers" and anything said of any repug is repugnant to him.

 

[Críostóir]

celtboy you gotta overlook what HenryReardon says. He is a hopeless fan of the repug "whatevers" and anything said of any repug is repugnant to him.

I think the word 'Ignore' should be used instead of 'overlook' - with all that implies. *


___
*Yes, reference is deliberate.

 

[iman]

The cartoon has no merit, it's not funny and compares unlike events. The suggestion of racism is the only thing that gives it any edge and the only reason that the Post would run it.

It is not a double standard because Bush and Obama are not comparable in terms of race and history. Bush could be innocently pictured eating a big slice of watermelon, but the same cartoon featuring a smiling Obama eating his watermelon slice would have very different connotations.

 

[Críostóir]

NeoCons are fond of these false equivalencies. It's part of the whole scam they've been running on the country for the past 20 years.

 

[HenryReardon]

celtboy you gotta overlook what HenryReardon says. He is a hopeless fan of the repug "whatevers" and anything said of any repug is repugnant to him.

Which shows that you haven't been paying attention. I've had plenty of harsh things to say about the Republicans.

Once again you're straying from the topic at hand.

 

[TheTalkingAsshole]

It's a racist attack on Obama. Bush actually looks like a chimpanzee, unlike Obama.

First, I didn't see any mention of Obama in the cartoon. Second, you're really saying Obama doesn't look like a chimp (while GWB does)? lol

Also, the fact that the police shot the chimpanzee makes it a threat.

No, I'd say the fact that the police shot the chimp makes it NO LONGER a threat.

but who wrote the stimulus bill, originally? It came from Obama.

Incorrect

This cartoonist is a racist who wants Obama shot.

Do you honestly believe this? Really?

I will curl my lip at anyone I see reading that pathetic excuse for a newspaper henceforth.

Oh no, please don't curl your lip at me. Especially after all of the great points you've made.

 

[archive]

Of course its a double standard.
As far as the left is concerned any attack on Bush, no matter how repulsive, is OK.
As far as race pimps like Sharpton and Jackson are concerned everything is about race.


The item in question is a political cartoon, and a particularly benign one, at that.

Look at the history of political cartoons, particularly in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The item in question is pretty tame, by comparison.

And, no, its not even remotely racist, despite what the somewhat hysterical fools are saying.

i get the cartoon.....its blah for the most part.....


but you could have the same cartoon....and change the balloon and it would mean something totally different....

but since you wanted to shoot a the chimp and tie it into the stimulus bill...and since it is obamas baby....obama=chimp...i know your a smart man...i dont think i should have to go further....

 

[justapixel]

The cartoon has nothing to do with Bush. It has everything to do with Obama.

Bush has been compared to a chimp without it being called rascist. Obama can be compared to a chimp without it being called a rascist.

Are we going to play the race card for the next four years???

 

[justapixel]

Just some more interesting posts:

http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3463055&highlight=bush+chimp#post3463055

http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2741585&highlight=chimp#post2741585

http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3981055&highlight=chimp#post3981055

 

[jackoroe]

The Post is a right-wing rag that lies about its circulation, and was charged and convicted of fraud for it. From the New York Times:This story, also in the New York Times, gives a run-down on the Post's methods of doing "business," detailing the charges against a Post columnist who was on the take — demanding payola for "coverage."

Of course the cartoon is racist. The Post, where Ann Coulter has saint status, hates anyone not WASP and Republican.

BTW, among other newspapers, Rupert Murdoch owns the Post, the Wall Street Journal and the Times of London. He also owns Myspace. Remember that if you're tempted to use it.

Let me see if I've got this straight. Your quoting the NY Times as a source as to the dishonesty of the NY Post. This same NY Times that had actually had a reporter making up stories. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

but since you wanted to shoot a the chimp and tie it into the stimulus bill...and since it is obamas baby....obama=chimp...i know your a smart man...i dont think i should have to go further....

Don't take it too seriously. Several, in fact possibly all of the people defending this article are the same ones who called for thunder and lightning when Obama made his "lipstick on a pig" comment.

They're aware of the racial history of comparing blacks to monkeys, but that's a moot point because their partisanship trumps logic, reasoning, common sense, or even standards.

If the cartoon were of a pig in lipstick running towards the white house and getting shot, they'd be calling for a National Honor Sarah Palin holiday, and the heads of anyone who wrote, published, edited, or even looked at the article.

 

[HenryReardon]

i get the cartoon.....its blah for the most part.....


but you could have the same cartoon....and change the balloon and it would mean something totally different....

but since you wanted to shoot a the chimp and tie it into the stimulus bill...and since it is obamas baby....obama=chimp.....

Obama's baby or not, the pelosi pork package is not his bill, it's purely a result of the efforts of Pelosi, Reid, and others.