NY Post tries to defend offensive cartoon

[NYCGirl]

As usual, they don't get it.

http://www.miller-mccune.com/article/studies-expose-%E2%80%98apelike-stereotype-among-whites


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/18/ny-post-cartoon-controver_n_167928.html


The New York Post has issued a statement defending its stimulus/chimp cartoon and slamming Rev. Al Sharpton for protesting the piece.

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."

[tekisui]

1. Sounds like it as written by some here on DU.

They knew exactly what they were doing by running that racist ad. They are also getting the exact response they were looking for.

[Captain Hilts]

3. ??

[tekisui]

4. A lot are defending or denying any racism in cartoon.

Amazingly.

[Captain Hilts]

5. I'm not seeing that. I guess I missed some threads.

But what the hell, a lot of folks here can't spot sexism either, so it's not surprising.

[jobycom]

15. Where?

The poll I saw was unanimous on racism.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

16. Look down thread.

Usual suspects.

[jobycom]

23. Okay, I see one. nt

[tekisui]

17. Take another look at the poll.

[jobycom]

24. Damn. I stand depressingly corrected. nt

[KittyWampus]

27. Some might be like me? I admit to not seeing it at 1st as racist but then I don't think like a

racist.

Initially I was disgusted to see the tragic death of Travis the Chimp yesterday used so callously.

It brought to my mind the "hundredth monkey" writing Shakespeare.

It wasn't until I saw a DU'er thread title that I saw the potential for a racist angle.

After going through cartoonist's archives I"m still not 100% certain it was consciously meant as racist. Subconsciously a lot of stuff seeps out into the open.

So as an ex-comix person, I have to say I'm not 100% sure but don't want to come across as defending the cartoon, the cartoonist or the NYPost (of all shitty published rags)

[uponit7771]

9. +1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Captain Hilts]

2. Sorry. Most people aren't thinking about the incident in Conn. It's also ignorant of how

legislation is written, etc.

AND it's just not good to depict public officials as being shot.

[Bleacher Creature]

6. Same kind of response that you usually get from Fixed News.

Do any non-Murdoch owned media outlets take person shots at people when defending themselves? If so, I haven't seen it.

[firedupdem]

7. They don't give a shit. I'm surprised they said anything at all.

Ignorant racist fucks.

[bdamomma]

8. this editor just does NOT get it? stupid jerk

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

10. Agree With Him.

I know I know one track minded DU'ers: Gee! I'm so surprised!, but it's clear that's all the cartoon was. There is a difference between being able to see it in a racial light and understand that angle, and blatantly assigning that intent to the artist as if his clear agenda was to foster racism and incite violence. The former is a sign of a rational and logical mind, whereas the latter a product of a knee jerk one seeing what it wants to see without having the ability to overcome its own flawed perception via simple rationality and logic.

[jobycom]

22. Whether the racist comparison of Obama to a dead chimp was the primary point

or just an obvious possible interpretation, the editor still ran a cartoon whose racist interpretation was obvious to anyone. I agree with you that his intention was to insult the bill and that the monkey isn't supposed to be Obama, but no way he misunderstood the other interpretation. No editor can plausibly claim ignorance to the White Supremacist slurs of African Americans as gorillas, monkeys, or chimps.

One track minds only understand one interpretation, but it's quite obvious this had at least two intended meanings. I wouldn't say the NYP is advocating violence, but the comparison of Obama to a chimp is clear, and that's as racist as one can get.

[Cha]

11. WHAT? We'll see who's

the "opportunist".

[onetwo]

12. That statement is incredibly disingenuous.

It's now crystal clear that the purpose of the cartoon was to elicit this type of response.

[Quantess]

26. I think you're on to something.

Media hype = increased newspaper sales

[nc4bo]

13. what. ever. NYPost, whatever. nt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

14. The editor gets it. That's the point.

They know it's racist, at they ran it any way.

The same way they ran the anti-gay cartoons from the same cartoonist.

[Barack_America]

18. Why would you want to parody the tragic chimp attack?

There's a woman in critical condition fighting for her life. Why would you ever want to make light of that?!?!

Jesus, these people have no souls or human decency.

[ellacott]

19. That's their answer to everything

It was a joke and "you people" are too sensitive.

It amazes me that they can't say that they apologize if we offended anyone.

[inthebrain]

20. That's not even what could be classified as "veailed racism". It's blatant!!!

Right wingers pull this shit all the time. Yeah, the monkey aka Barak Obama, wrote the stimulus bill.

They are using a recent event that happened in Connecticut as an excuse to slip one by.

Whatever.

You have to be a total idiot not to see what they are obviously doing here. As a matter of fact, the snide response by the editor clearly demonstrates that they think the readers ARE dumb.

[dcindian]

21. So a cartoonist who uses a donkey to represent democrats and an

elephant to represent repuglicans somehow does not understand the representation of a monkey and African Americans by racist? And we are suppose to believe this?

[KittyWampus]

25. that violent chimp was a beloved pet and it's death was a tragedy.

[Beacool]

28. It's the NY Post.

They always run tacky cartoons. I still remember the one that had Hillary drowning in a car while Ted Kennedy is waving at her from a pier after he endorsed Obama.

:shrug:

[Enthusiast]

29. Okay, ask yourselves

What did the violent chimp have to do with the stimulus? Absolutely nothing, correct. The toon was racist in its intent, no question about it.

Hey, like in 1930's Germany, political correctness will go out the window and then there will be few doubts about racist intentions. That's the way it happened there, don't let it happen here. Because minorities and liberals will become today's victims of hate and persecution.

[Jennicut]

30. Its disgusting to even make light of a poor woman getting mauled by a chimp

This happened in CT where I live. Stamford is more near NY but its a small state. Everyone is talking about this here. Its a really sad situation and the attorney general Richard Blumenthal(who might run against Loserman) said he will look at the laws about exotic animals in the state. To even make fun of THIS is terrible. Then on top of it there is the blatant racism. They have no way to legitimize this.