Your Thoughts about this questionable cartoon in todays New York Post

[Lance K.C. Jackson]

Posted by Foon Rhee (Boston Globe), deputy national political editor February 18, 2009 11:51 AM
An uproar is brewing about an editorial cartoon in today's New York Post that appears to tie President Obama to a rampaging chimpanzee killed by police.

The cartoon, by Sean Delonas, shows a chimp splayed on the ground in a pool of blood. Two police officers stand over the body, one holding a smoking gun, and the second saying, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

While Democrats, and a handful of Republicans, in Congress technically wrote the $787 billion stimulus bill, Obama has championed it, gone back out on the stump to sell it, and claimed it as his own while signing it in Denver on Tuesday.

The cartoon appears to refer to Travis, the pet chimpanzee and TV star who was shot to death by police in Stamford, Conn. on Monday after it mauled a friend of its owner.

The Rev. Al Sharpton told the Associated Press that the cartoon is "troubling at best."

Sharpton notes that Obama is the nation's first black president and that African Americans have been depicted as monkeys by racists through history.

"Being that the stimulus bill has been the first legislative victory of President Barack Obama and has become synonymous with him, it is not a reach to wonder are they inferring that a monkey wrote the last bill?" he asked, according to press accounts.

Sam Stein wrote on the Obama-friendly Huffington Post website that it seems "rife with racial and political sensitivities."

"At its most benign, the cartoon suggests that the stimulus bill was so bad, monkeys may as well have written it," Stein opined. "Most provocatively, it compares the president to a rabid chimp. Either way, the incorporation of violence and (on a darker level) race into politics is bound to be controversial."

The Post is standing by the cartoon, and questioning Sharpton's motives.

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

[Black Talk Radio Network™]

I think Sharpton is right and the cartoon is tasteless in more ways than one. The New York Post is owned by Rupert Murdoch, the same man who owns Fox News and like Fox News, the New York Post's content is not friendly to liberals, Democrats and Black People.

I read another article where it mentions that the victims of this chimpanzee are still in the hospital recovering from wounds and you can say the chimpanzee is a victim also, being taken out of his natural habitat and forced to live as a human pet.

Lets look at the recent execution style shooting of the young Black man Oscar Grant by BART police officers.

I am not surprised to see such a tasteless cartoon in a publication associate with Rupert Murdoch. Should we get in a tizzy about and try to target the New York Post in a boycott? One could but I do not know what difference it would make. I doubt if the readers of such a trashy tabloid would care what they put in it unless of course it was making fun of the Jewish Holocaust, but then with Rupert Murdoch being Jewish, he would never allow it. - S. Reid

[Queen Ifama]

How about a boycott for Lavenia Johnson? How about a boycott for the Scott Sisters? Or Oscar Grant, or April Griffin? What about them. I am SICK of this KNEEGROW mess, alway raising HELL for the wrong stuff. I am going to tell you the truth. We have people suffereing, suffering, suffering. I could care LESS what they print in the New York Post, the same Post that printed that other picture with Michelle looking like hit woman. That was them right? Well anyway, WE got more serious stuff and the New York Post ain't gonna print a word of that!!

[Steven J. Davis]

Let's face it family there are those out there,who are just stuck on STUPID.we must continue to trust in our vote in electing President Obama,and accept the fact that there will be oposition.God,Jesus ,we all experience this when we stand for something,and don't fall for anything.No weapon formed against us will not prosper.also FEAR can be a weapon of distruction or construction,CHOOSE ONE.

[Queen Ifama]

I try to stay out of stupid mess like this but I have gotten so much email about it, that I must comment on it. Yo all know as the Truth Terrorist, I gotta tell it like it IS. Sharpton's focus has always been on what can bring HIM attention when it comes to addressing issues that affect Black people. I KNOW people who have tried to contact him about things and were TURNED AWAY BECAUSE IT WASN'T BIG ENOUGH, OKAY!!!!???

First of all President Obama did not write the stimulus bill, A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS WROTE THE STIMULUS, unless they are shooting a lot of monkeys that represent those who actually wrote the bill, this is just about the most craziest thing for US to be getting all worked up about. I KNOW that there are far more real serious things for us to get incensed about which actually involve the lives of everyday people and raise our voices about, this for all intents and purposes is a DISTRACTION and they always to this, so start being aware of this GAME.

As I said, we have far more things that "recognized" leaders should be speaking out against, like the false incarceration of April Griffin, right here in Milwaukee and Gladys and Jamie Scott in Mississippi serving double life sentences for literally NOTHING, the outright murder of Oscar Grant with only one policeman being charged with murder and not the other cop who STARTED IT ALL, who was WITH HIM, the case of the young woman in the military, Lavenia Johnson, who was murdered by her own comrades and NO ONE brought up on charges as of yet, the homeless in Philadelphia are being evicted from homeless shelters and much more. Secondly, President Obama SIGNS the stimulus bill. I could see it if they said “now they have to find someone to SIGN the stimulus bill, that might be a slight to get ruffled about, even though the PRESIDENT has NEVER addressed AFRICAK people from the onset of his running for the office, oh well......... Nuff said.

[Bill Grimke-Drayton]

Whatever people say, the message the cartoon conveys is clear, and the racist and bigoted attitude that lies behind it is also clear, or was the cartoonist deliberately setting out to shock and get the expected reaction. I'm fed up with posturing and point-scoring. Let's strive to overcome the prejudices on all sides to make this world a better place, and not give place to cheap tricks. If we disagree with a certain publication, just dont let's buy its products and feed the fires stoked up by puerile criticism, born out of a judgmental spirit.If you think you are unique in having a press which often behaves irresponsibly, then come over to the UK. The BBC is not as unbiased as its charter would have us believe. However, I must say that this is the price we have to pay for a free press. Surely we should uphold this right along with the right to free speech and assembly - freedoms which our forefathers literally fought for. We need to exercise our responsibility as the electorate to hold the government to account if we see our freedoms being eroded. Remember Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg speech - government for the people and by the people. If you are an American citizen, and have the right to exercise your vote in elections, then the government in all its forms is answerable to you. Do not be passive and say that you are not interested in politics!! I don't know whether you know what Joseph Goebbels, Minister for Propoganda in Nazi Germany, said. "If you repeat a lie often enough, people will soon start to believe it to be the truth." As is said, a picture can tell a thousand words, that is why the cartoon was so damaging!!! Americans, wake up at this critical time! Best wishes from across the Pond, Bill Drayton.

[Jeffrey McKinney]

I feel it is ironic that this newspaper would say Rev. Sharpton was an oppertunist. Shortly before election day, REV. Sharpton was a guest on the Tom Joiner radio program. On it, he expressed how we should avoid confrentation with people seeking argumental oppertunities, publicity and drama. Sadly I see an overall tone of violence increasing in our society in general, not just in those of the opposing party of the House and Senate. Unfortunately many people out of frustration, sink to the lowest level of the human experience, violent force and hate. This makes one wonder who is the real beast. As a civilised nation and people, we should not have to stoop to such low levels. The power and problem is not always in the picture itself, but the seeds of which is sown by such things. As in our primative history, pictures have power, people relate to them sometimes more that the spoken or written word. It is appauling to see the underurrents of brut intimadation that I increasingly am seeing more and more of, actually in many different areas after the election. I pray in the name of Jesus that this stops before it goes too far. People are on edge, not knowing what tomorrow shall bring, some people are hurting that have never hurt like this before. Being somewhat poor most of my own life, at least monetarily, not nescersarily spiritually, the beat just goes on and this is nothing new under the sun.

Just as after the Civil War, people seem to be seeking revenge rather than solutions, but they are seeking revenge not on the one's who created the problem, but the ones trying to create the solutions that will heal the problem, which is crazy and I am not even going to say seek revenge on anyone. That's the Lord's job and we all should seek mercy at the very least for all, so we too can recieve it. If we take a page out of the Great Depression, we would learn that though their of course was racial hate then as well, it also was a time when shared pain and problems, brought people together who would not otherwise have been together. The Hoovertowns as they were called was filled with people of all racial and previously social economic backgrounds, now having to relate on a level plain, as bad as that plain was. As these people waited anxously for the rations from the trains that would come by from time to time, or helped each other on trains to go to a place to find a better means of living, many became life long friends.

The hate is not even just about race in my opinion, but about blame and reluntance to change the Status Quo of power and thought. We can not disperse the oneness that won the election, based on petty or maybe not so petty differences. If I need blood, I would not care if that blood came from someone other than my race, faith, or sex. So why is it, we fight these crazy battles when we all need help/ Even if one is doing good during this period the undercurrent of anger and frustration reaches all on some level. With an acceptance of a need for change, comes the responsibity to at the very least hope and with hope comes the responsibity to not promote hate, but understanding and patience if nothing else. I could say more on a personal note, but I reserve not to do that/ But please ALL, start sowing seeds of unity, faith, hope, charity and brotherly love and understanding. Believe me, I am more suprized animal rights people are not in arms by that picture even more. I don't claim to be one, because some people think even more highly of animals than their fellow human beings.

PEACE, LOVE and Lite,

Jeffrey

[Geoffrey D. Holman a.k.a. PRIEST]

Wow. However this doesn't shock me or upset me. I feel as Chris Rock stated in his stand up Comedy film "KILL THE MESSENGER", If he was being interviewed by Regis Philbin and he wasn't paying any attention and Regis stabbed him in the neck saying "I FUCKING HATE BLACK PEOPLE!" That he would not be surprised and would actually be apologetic to his assailant for havng known better. In other words, we as people of color should alway's be alert and on our guard, that simply because we have an African American President, that doesn't reslove or absolve us from the terrible and real threat of racism. It's funny, as a writer and illustrator for BLACKWELL MAGAZINE online mens magazine (sisters, you are very much appreciated, we look for your readership as well) recently, one of the subjects that I'd interviewed had referred to white folks as being Devils. I, as author of the article felt it was a bit too strong of a statement due to it's harsh racial brashness. I simply and without hesitation, took it out, doing such in respect to myself as the writer, to my readership and to the publisher. I see that THE POST has no sruples nor consideration to the rights and oppinions of others, this is the sharper side of the double edged sword of the FREEDOM OF SPEECH ACT. How far are we as authors and illustrators and public figures in the press able to go?
This is tasteless and offensive and it certainly (when first looking at it) brought to mind the Oscar Grant Case which infuriated me personally.

Geoffrey D. Holman

Black Well Magazine

www.myspace.com/nueliberationtheatre1

ghetoetry.0928

[Ebony Ghost]

It's a far stretch to get either the President or race out of this picture. A New York police officer did shoot a chimp. That chimp was on a wild rampage and was shot in self defense. The actions surrounding the passage of the stimulus bill was a wild rampage of a similar character; furiously thrown together and passed with as much serious debate as any mad monkey could muster. What was voted on, passing 246-183 in the House and 60-38 in the Senate, was a one page synopsis covering part of the 759 page bill. A vast majority, of the people who voted in favor, read as much of the bill as the monkey did. So, one monkey goes to monkey heaven. And, we get to deal with what the Congressional budget office estimates to be a 169 billion dollar addition to the budget deficit this year (estimated to top $815 billion over 10 years), keeping in mind that every deficit is an addition to the debt.

[Black Talk Radio Network™]

I don't think it is a far stretch to associate Obama with the Stimulus Bill because the conservatives I listen too or saw writing about it blame Obama for it. They associate it and him with socialism. From that vantage point, I don't think it is a stretch to interpret the monkey to be Obama. Now I do agree that it was foolish and irresponsible for Congress members to vote for a bill they have not fully read as I heard one Black legislator say on NPR they did not read it but had to pass it. Maybe Obama took a page out of Bush's book. The day after 911, legislators were presented the Patriot Act, which had to be written before 911, and told they had to sign it and TOLD they could not read it. Only one or two voted against it which I know one of them was Ron Paul. Now I am hearing that the stimulus bill contained some increases for food stamps, medicaid and other assistance for the poor and that those who qualify as living beneath the Federal Poverty line has reached 33 million. So if that is what Obama and others were trying to sneak through, I ain't mad at them. But on a general note, they should not voting for bills they have not read.

[Ebony Ghost]

You are correct in that Obama cannot be disassociated with this bill. He was on the road hawking 'this plan" like it was a carnival ride. The devil is in the details; something that is lacking the transparency that is being proclaimed. Those who worry that the Stars and Bars has taken a blow from the Hammer and Sickle may have a valid point. We've yet to reach the point where government has control over banking and industry. Something like that doesn't happen overnight. Let's hope that the aftermath of this one is less pronounced than that of the Patriot act. There will, of course, be some unexpected consequences. I watched the movie 1984 a couple of days ago. I was struck by the fact that there were people who remembered a time before things got to where they were. Those people were living in a reality that they allowed to manifest.

As a conversation starter, I don't think the current discussion is what the artist had in mind when he penned this piece. On the one hand, the idea that yet another stimulus bill will be coming down the pike is introduced. That possibility is food for serious discussion. On the other hand there is the chimp. There's probably some law against advocating violence against the president. So, his image might have been meant to fuel tawdry speculation and gossip surrounding the circumstances of his relationship with his owner. The stretch is in assuming that the artist intended to portray anything particularly race related and that his intent was to include the President.

There will be plenty op-ed cartoons about Obama in the years to come. In those, he will be clearly identified. I would have to agree with Foon Rhee that the the furor surrounding this drawing is the result of opportunistic race baiting. And, as Queen Ifama notes, there are many important issues and circumstances that are more deserving of our outrage.

I only read 30 pages or so of H R 1. It's certainly not the unrestricted giveaway that marked the end of the Bush era. Early in this administration, I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.

[Black Talk Radio Network™]

Excerpts from the BBC NY Post sorry for 'Obama' cartoon link

"To those who were offended by the image, we apologise," the paper said in an editorial.

However, the paper went on to accuse "some in the media and in public life who have had differences with the Post in the past" of using the row over the cartoon "as an opportunity for payback".


After learning more about the cartoonist in question, he has been noted in the past for racist and bigoted cartoons and has blogged with racial overtones.

Mr Allen's explanation was rejected by Andrew Rojecki, co-author of the book The Black Image in the White Mind. "The cops are saying, 'Someone's going to have to write the next stimulus bill.' Well, who wrote the last stimulus bill? It's Obama and the Democratic Party, but really it's associated with one person - and that's Obama," Mr Rojecki told the Chicago Tribune.

"How could The Post let this cartoon pass as satire?" asked Barbara Ciara, president of the National Association of Black Journalists, in a statement.

"To compare the nation's first African-American commander-in-chief to a dead chimpanzee is nothing short of racist drivel."

Despite ones feelings about the bill itself and how much involvement Obama had in writing it, I have to say that although they are more important issues that need addressing, the public image of Black people that some of these right wingers put out can not go unchallenged. To do so would send the wrong signal to America that you can portray us in any kind of light and we should just shut up and be quiet about it.

The media is a powerful tool and it programs the minds of the masses. Not that long ago there was a rash of noose hangings across the country, should we have been quiet about that and send the message that it is ok to try and intimidate us, turning the clock back in America when not only were the noose hangings be acceptable but the actual hanging of Blacks was a cause for a family outing. Everybody knows how Fox News under the ownership of Rupert Murdoch has tried to play down racism with guests such as Manning and Jesse Patterson, the NY Post is under the same ownership. I think they had to be called out on this. As far as more important issues, its not like we can't multi-task, I am involved in several issues. Maybe this is a good thing along with other issues to make lazy apathetic Black people wake the hell up from their slumber as if we don't still have battles to fight.

Hell, I am still trying to get over the fact that only 20,000 people took the time to sign the online petition calling for Justice for Oscar Grant. That is pitiful when you have millions of Black people online using a large amount of their time to sign guest books, send spam and hock what ever it is their trying to sell you. I probably get at least 200 emails a week that ain't talking about nothing. I applaud the people who take a few minutes out of their day to sign an online petition or make a few phone calls. Doesn't seem like much and it doesn't require a great personal sacrifice but can have a tremendous impact when enough people do it.

[Jessy]

A number of books and websites run by Neo-Nazis, white supremacists from supporters of the Christian identity and radical Islamic groups that offer what they claim as citations from rabbinic literature, trying to prove that Judaism is racist, who hate the Jews non-Jews and perceived as non-humans.

According to Joseph Soloveitchik: "Even if the Jew is motivated by his private Sinaítico Covenant with God to preserve and embody the teachings of the Torah, is committed to the belief that all mankind, regardless of color or creed, is" in His image "and is owned by an inherent dignity and human value. The uniqueness of man is clear from the fact that" breathed into his nostrils a breath of life "(Genesis 2:7). So, we all share in the universal historical experience, and God's providential concern extends to all humanity. "[60]

According to a recording of 1984 before the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations in the U.S. Congress, in relation to the Soviet Jews,

"Be vicious anti-Semitic argument, often repeated by other writers and Soviet officials, is based on the notion that the malicisa" chosen people "of the Torah and the Talmud states that" superiority over other peoples "as well as exclusivity. It is clear The theme principarl of the notorious Protocols of the Elders of Zion Tsarist

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