Thursday, February 19, 2009

Monkee See, Monkee Draw


"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, Rev. Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist."

- Col Allen, Editor & Chief of The New York Post on this cartoon


You can say a lot of things about Al Sharpton (who thought that this cartoon was racist in nature) but, you can't call him wrong on this one. I think he got it right. ... Making fun of the (any) president is one of our rights. I've certainly made a lot of fun of the last few men who have sat in the White House. It comes with the territory. However, Racist, hateful cartoons with a hint of calling for an assassination does not... this is reprehensible and the cartoonist ought to be ashamed of himself.

I wasn't going to blog about this dumb cartoon today. I know that people all over the blogosphere are probably weighing in on it as I write this. Being the "Maverick of all Bloggers" and also being emotionally and intellectually drained after writing my last two posts, (I did a lot of research on those last two posts) I was just going to coast today and write something smurfy but, I find that I have to say something.

This cartoon is obviously racist. The cartoonist thought he was being cute and whatever he was trying to say, obviously got by a whole lot of people. The editor of the New York Post is on the wrong side of history. He's an apologist and a very bad businessman. This could cost him a lot of revenue and one thing the traditional news media is... it's a business. You don't want to be losing revenue in this day and time, because you've pissed off a large segment of the paying public with an unecessarily nasty cartoon. Bloggers like me, who provide information for free because we are passionate about writing and sharing, could sound the death knell of your newspaper because of something just like this. I'm sure that as I write this, computers and BlackBerrys are buzzing with outrage about this cartoon... that cartoon... that damned cartoon. Hmmmm!!!

This said, I leave it to your interpretation of what the cartoonist meant in the above cartoon. Do you all think it is racist, blog fam? I personally think it was mean spirited but, that's just me. When you become president, comedians, cartoonists, journalists, and bloggers are going to take their shots at you. It's part of the game. We've all got to get a thicker skin and we've got to learn to fight back. Any Rush Limbaugh parodies out there? I can think of a few. Shame I can't draw.

(Special thanks to The F$%K it List for bringing this to my attention!)

P.S. If YOU LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY... BOYCOTT THE NEW YORK POST!!! This is how you let people like that know that you don't support this. Don't support people and institutions that do not support you!!!

27 comments:

ZACK said...

Keith, I've written this on Facebook tonight but not on either of my blogs: What hurt me the most was that a violent act was associated with a black male.

Part of the reason why so many brothers keep dying is that the media thinks its all fun and games. They think the image of a black man (being compared to a monkey) lying dead in the street with bullet holes is somehow just the way of the world.

It sickens me, and I normally have a better resistance for such garbage. But I thought about our ancestors when I saw that cartoon today. I thought about how my grandparents risked their lives to get us the right to vote. I thought about my own struggles in not being able to find work in the media while that asshole gets to draw stupid shit and keep his job.

RACISM IS ALIVE and it needs to be shot more than that monkey.

12kyle said...

it's racist and disgusting. and the cartoonist can say that it's freedom of speech but we all know that freedom ain't free.

wonder if he'd draw this in front of a room full of black people? hmmmm

Angel said...

the cartoon does look pretty racist...

Anonymous said...

Hell Yeah it was Racist!

Anonymous said...

Shameful!

Anonymous said...

I thought it was terrible, but I aint surprised.

Anonymous said...

That paper has been like that for years..Public Enemey even did a song about it.

Anonymous said...

I think it was racist..but I'm really not surprised.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad that the blog family is speaking out against it. That's what is great about this medium...We are as fast as the mainstream news if not faster.

Anonymous said...

We should break the cartoonist's fingers.

Anonymous said...

Blatantly racist cartoon!!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe in this day and time we are still having these kinds of conversations.

Anonymous said...

It kills me how people do things like that, then when they get called on it..They try to dress it up, make it look like they didn't do anything.

Anonymous said...

If I lived in New York,I'd boycott the New York Post.

Anonymous said...

This is blatantly racist and threatening.. I would call the FBI
and ask them to investigate this..
It looks like a call to assainate the President.

Anonymous said...

Yes..I find it very offensive and very racist.

Anonymous said...

Unbelievable!

Me said...

ZACK said it all.

The F_Uitlist said...

Thanks for the shout out!

I agree this cartoon is racist, there is no other way to put it. As much as the editor at the Post wants to believe that Al Sharpton is an opportunist this is not an instance of that. More than just Black people are offended.

I've heard a lot of people say we as a people have to get a tougher skin but to me that is just rhetoric, African Americans have always had a tough skin what we need to do now it let those that chose to disrespect us that we will no tolerate it. The Post has always been a paper that promoted this kind of mess. I am going to write about my feelings on this cartoon today. I just wanted to hear from all of you first.

Rich Fitzgerald said...

I got this in an email yesterday and to be honest, I wasn't so quick to jump on the bandwagon. I didn't know about the shooting incident in Connecticut, but I looked at what words were used. I also looked back at some of his previous cartoons and noticed he is pretty opinionated especially about big names in NY.

My first thought is that he was saying the stimulus was penned (created) by idiots. Then I looked up who supported it in NY and found that two black Congressman were co-sponsors. So, I had no choice but to join the bandwagon and cry foul.

White folks are bugging. You'd think they forgot that it was mostly white folks that voted for Obama. They need to chill. The stood behind stupid ass George Bush almost to the end.

Anonymous said...

I'm still upset about this.

Strongblkwmn said...

This is nothing new for the NY Post. I live in New York and someone would have to put a gun to my head to make me read that rag. It's always been about racist b.s.

As far as Al Sharpton goes, I get sick of hearing people talk crap about him. He may not always be right but he's on the front lines.

Arlene said...

Keith,
Barack Obama didn't write the Recovery Package. The MONKEYS in the Senate did!! The chimp shot in the picture represents what should be done to the senators and congresspeople who: wrote a stimulus to bail out big banks and car manufacturers; gave million dollar bonuses to the folks who rans companies into the ground; saved themselves and their friends from facing the music for poor choices. Yes, I agree they are CHIMPS. Simple-ass monkeys at that. But I don't see this as a swipe at our president,Barack. It's a slap at the senate and congress. Have we become HYPERSENSITIVE????Yes, I have lived long enough and worked in the real world long enough to become cynical. But not you!!!

Beautifully.Conjured.Up said...

I found the cartoon horrible, and very racist.I for one don't wish to support anything dealing with the NY Post.

Beautifully.Conjured.Up said...

@12kyle: Exactly!!! On top of that, make sure the doors are locked...then let's see if the cartoon is really racist by the reaction he receives.

Shai said...

Yes, it is racist. I looked at it in a deeper way. Someone wants our president dead.

I did not like our last president and there were pics comparing him to a monkey at on time on the web. I found it funny. I found it funny when Bush got shoes thrown at him. However, if I did not like Bush, I never wanted him dead.

See that's the essence of the pic for me, you are advocating the killing of your own president. I am sure our countries that hate us are laughing and agreeing with this idiot cartoonist. And the apology was not an apology.

All-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalo said...

i dont think it is important, its just a cartoon, we some mixed up folks




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