Al Sharpton Claims Racism in New York Post Political Cartoon
Posted: Wednesday, February 18, 2009
by Alf Gordon
I am not a big fan of many of our country's major media outlets. However, I have to applaud the New York Post for defending a political cartoon in today's edition, decrying the suggestion that it may have racist leanings.
The cartoon, drawn by artist Sean Delonas, shows two police offiders standing over the body of a chimpanzee they've obviously just shot. One officer comments, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."
Some feel that the chimpanzee is a representation of President Obama. Civil rights activist Al Sharpton says the cartoon is "troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys." He believes the Post needs to clarify the point of the cartoon, to prevent people from infering a racist theme related to the President.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-talk-new-york-post-cartoonfeb19,0,3058822.story
In a statement, Post Editor-in-Chief Col Allan said: "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."
I must confess that when I saw the cartoon, I immediately got it. There was no "oh, look, the President is a monkey, tee-hee" commentary going through my mind. I would agree with Mr. Allan that Mr. Sharpton and many media pundits are reading things into the cartoon that simply are not there. The only racist views being promoted here are those of Mr. Sharpton and his cronies. Get out of the 19th century, "Reverend", and join the rest of us in 2009, where an African-American president is adored by people of all races, colors, and creeds.
The cartoon, drawn by artist Sean Delonas, shows two police offiders standing over the body of a chimpanzee they've obviously just shot. One officer comments, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-talk-new-york-post-cartoonfeb19,0,3058822.story
In a statement, Post Editor-in-Chief Col Allan said: "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."
I must confess that when I saw the cartoon, I immediately got it. There was no "oh, look, the President is a monkey, tee-hee" commentary going through my mind. I would agree with Mr. Allan that Mr. Sharpton and many media pundits are reading things into the cartoon that simply are not there. The only racist views being promoted here are those of Mr. Sharpton and his cronies. Get out of the 19th century, "Reverend", and join the rest of us in 2009, where an African-American president is adored by people of all races, colors, and creeds.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Alf, the cartoon may not have been created to make a racist statement but if it were not created and run in the NYP then Sharpton would not have had an opportune moment. In light of racial profiling and too many incidents to point out here, I am not in favor of the cartoon. Was it Howard Cosell who said of a black football player: "look at that fast little monkey run." I find this just as inappropriate as that statement.
I know Obama did not WRITE the stimulus bill. His people did. He signed it. So, common sense tells me the caption for the cartoon was politically incorrect. In my humble opinion, the cartoon is insensitive even if there were no motive.Avis, I believe that if the cartoon had been drawn by a no-name artist and had run in the Podunk Gazette in Backwater Glen, Arkansas, Al Sharpton would have had his cronies hunt it down and made it a national issue. I have two concerns with the whole issue. First, Sharpton never bothered to find out what the artist's meaning was; he simply jumped to his erroneous conclusion and made a story where there should have been none. Second, because Sharpton is becoming increasingly well-known for turning anything he can into a race issue, when there are true issues of racism to deal with his complaints are ignored. He is the boy who cried wolf (and my apologies to anyone who assumes that because I used the word "boy" in this statement it has racial overtones).Howard Cosell's comments were improper then, and are improper now. If he were alive and saying that today, he would be in the unemployment line tomorrow. Have we progressed? I believe we have. Thank you for sharing your comments on the article, Avis.Alf, if your beef is with Sharpton, I completely understand. I have often thought if I were to take opportunities that he did for exposure, I may have the home built for pregnant teens by now. I am not on board with him either but someone should have spoken up, alas Sharpton to the rescue.
You're welcome, Alf. Thank you for your reply. I would not have known about this until 11:00 news last night without your article. You have found your niche and I still enjoy reading your articles.
I've never understood why old white guys think they can speak with authority on the issue of racial sensitivity.It's kind of like the perpetrator of a crime, or at least someone in the perpetrators family, telling the victim of the crime, "get over it, it wasn't so bad." It really rings hollow.Anon, I did not want to respond in my comments that one has to be black to understand but it's true. Others can empathize or even sympathize but not fully understand. I'm unable to understand the Jewish experience of the Holocaust, or native American Indians, or the exhilaration a performer feels making it to Carnegie Hall, because I have not had their experiences. I will not condone making a mockery of the Jewish and native American Indian experiences. Or the performer if a mishap occurred.
I liked the perpetrator and victim example used. I hope it sheds light on the insensitivity of the cartoon. I cannot believe there was not one person who disagreed with running it. It should not have happened but in these United States, it will happen again. Count on it!Hi Avis,Being one of those 'old white guys' as Anon. has mentioned, I have not experienced any racial discrimination, except once, and I can tell you that it was very uncomfortable to say the least, so perhaps I can now understand just a little.I was in Los Angeles with my family and missed our flight back to Canada, so had to overnight. It was late when we checked in at our motel, so we went across the street to a fast-food place. There were only a few people in the restaurant and they were all black. I have never seen this many black people in one place, but hey, I live in a very white community, although that is changing. You see, I live in a small town in western Canada. It has been primarily white for generations (Alberta cowboys). What can I say?I had a pleasant conversation with the cashier and we felt very comfortable in our surroundings. My family is not racist (in fact my kids grew up with many Canadian native people, which we call First Nations. My daughter-in-law is First Nations, as is one of my nieces and, of course, her kids. I also have a nephew who is part Mexican and part African-American.)Anyways, all was fine until one guy walked in and, as he passed us, made a snide remark about the 'white folks'. It was a very strange feeling, which I had never experienced before. I walked outside and watched the cars passing under the streetlight for about five minutes. In that time I did not see one white face in any of the cars, and came to realize that we were in a black community. Again, no problem, except for that comment we received from one person, which made me feel so uncomfortable and unwelcome.We quickly went back across to our motel. The next day we took the bus to the mall and met a really great Hispanic gentleman on the bus. Also, in the mall, everyone we spoke to, regardless of their national origin, made us feel very welcome. It was just that one jerk who gave me such a bad feeling.Is this what discrimination feels like? I only experienced it once. How my heart goes out to those who experience it on a daily basis.Hi David,
Your post explains one reason I was reluctant to say one has to be black to understand. Remove "black" and fill in the blank with another word. That word doesn't have to deal with race. It can be married, or fit, or a singer. Get my meaning? I know there is discrimination in this world and it's not whites against blacks, only. I guess it is safe to say to fully understand how one reacts to something, for example, how you felt from your experience, I would have to be David Pekrul. That is impossible! But I can show compassion and try to understand.
I'm sorry you experienced blatant racism. I'm saddened because of history, people may have become apathetic about hatred. I'm saddened disrespect is attempted to be hidden in humor when the person on stage isn't a professional comedian. Even if the person is a pro, I don't like insults, even when they insult themselves. I do not lose sleep over what saddens me because I do not shoulder the world, just live in it and harmoniously as I can.
Thank you for sharing this experience. I am neither naive or ignorant enough to feel discrimination is a one-sided coin with blacks as the its only face. You're in Canada but I am in a state that is considered the deep south. The history here is horrific concerning race relations and some do not like that progress has been made.
Finding my Creator in everyone is my ultimate goal and it is He who causes me to love others, no matter what.
Thanks again, David. I'm happy no physical harm came to you in your experience.
Blessings,
AvisAvis, I love when you say "Finding my Creator in everyone is my ultimate goal". It kind of gave me a strange thought. "What colour will we be in Heaven?" I mean, what colour is our eternal soul anyway? Does it even have a colour? I think not. Maybe if we would try to see each others 'soul', then maybe we could learn to get along with each other.Thanks for all your great commentary on this site, Avis.Blessings to you,DavidThanks David. You've got mail!The statement "if you are not black you cannot understand prejudice" implies that non-blacks do not experience prejudice, or at least not in the way that others do. I have to ask: What makes you so special? Do you believe that you are the only group that has ever experienced discrimination? Talk to the Jews whose grandparents were murdered in World War II; talk to the Japanese Americans who were treated so badly during the same time. If you cannot find someone that old, look a little closer to home--talk to the gay man who is humiliated by his straight co-workers, or the obese woman who is asked to pay for two seats on a plane after she has already boarded, or the Christian couple who is ridiculed because they choose to home-school their children. If you have personally experienced discrimination due to race, color, creed, religious beliefs, physical or mental limitations, or sexual orientation, join the rest of the human race and get over it. If you are using this simply as a way to complain, maybe you should join Al Sharpton's organization. I understand they are looking for more crybabies who want to be part of the problem rather than part of the solution.I assume that you are a young black female, as I doubt you would be so quick to skewer old white men if you were a member of the club. Is not this another form of racism--assigning a stereotype to a group of individuals without knowing anything about them? I would comment that not being old, white, or male, you have no way of knowing or understanding the special issues we face, but I am guessing that you would not like your words thrown back in your face in such a manner, and would probably issue a protest of some sort. Hypocrisy rarely practices what it preaches, after all.You've totally lost me here Alf. Your quote didn't come from me or anyone else who has commented on your article. It's not at all what I said.
I am in fact an old white guy such as yourself. I am often embarrassed by the words and actions of other old white guys around me. I'm not stereo-typing you, I'm commenting on the words that you've written.
I'm embarrassed for you that you refer to "the special issues we face" as if they somehow compare to the centuries of slavery and discrimination that blacks have endured in America, and the results of that treatment as it lingers on today. It sounds like whining to me.Have you thought there is a reason embedded into some peoples mind about racism? I know you understand that when someone lords over you, you get to know how he thinks. But, you do not know how he thinks. The Black race look at racism as someone denies or hoards econimics from them. Prejudice is a dislike without knowing and what you have perceive, rather than the truth. This is the reason why Blacks know how the Whites may think. Not to the Whites personally, but the Whites as it is related to the White establishment.Dust (satan) in the mind creates a hate mentality that is blind. The mind has dust particles that confuse humanity. I remember studying a particular Bible study that utilized a movie as an example of how man can pass on information that could destroy humanity and create “Two Americas called, the United States of America.” It is dust backed by hatred. The movie was “South Pacific.”Rogers and Hammerstein played this song in the movie called, “You’ve got to be “Carefully Taught.” This is “Prejudice” at its best:“You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear,“You’ve got to be taught from year to year.“It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear,“You’ve got to be carefully taught,“You’ve got to be carefully taught.“You’ve got to be taught to be afraid,“Of people, whose eyes are oddly made?“And people whose skin is a different shade.“You’ve got to be carefully taught.“You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late“Before you are six or seven or eight,“To hate all the people your relatives hate.“You’ve got to be carefully taught,“You’ve got to be carefully taught.Little do this free country called the “United States of America and the “Land of the Free” wish to say, “that this is the source of racism in our country:” as little children are growing up and see their parent’s behavior, and what their parents teach them directly and indirectly. It is passed on from one generation to another. Now I know why my best friend told me: “My mama says, “I’m too big to play with the Nigras now.” We were ten years old at the time. The dust mind says, “Regardless if I destroy myself, that I will do if I could just continue to hate YOU.” This is a good example of destroying you.
Have you thought there is a reason embedded into some peoples mind about racism? I know you understand that when someone lords over you, you get to know how he thinks. But, you do not know how he thinks. The Black race look at racism as someone denies or hoards econimics from them. Prejudice is a dislike without knowing and what you have perceive, rather than the truth. This is the reason why Blacks know how the Whites may think. Not to the Whites personally, but the Whites as it is related to the White establishment.Dust (satan) in the mind creates a hate mentality that is blind. The mind has dust particles that confuse humanity. I remember studying a particular Bible study that utilized a movie as an example of how man can pass on information that could destroy humanity and create “Two Americas called, the United States of America.” It is dust backed by hatred. The movie was “South Pacific.”Rogers and Hammerstein played this song in the movie called, “You’ve got to be “Carefully Taught.” This is “Prejudice” at its best:“You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear,“You’ve got to be taught from year to year.“It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear,“You’ve got to be carefully taught,“You’ve got to be carefully taught.“You’ve got to be taught to be afraid,“Of people, whose eyes are oddly made?“And people whose skin is a different shade.“You’ve got to be carefully taught.“You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late“Before you are six or seven or eight,“To hate all the people your relatives hate.“You’ve got to be carefully taught,“You’ve got to be carefully taught.Little do this free country called the “United States of America and the “Land of the Free” wish to say, “that this is the source of racism in our country:” as little children are growing up and see their parent’s behavior, and what their parents teach them directly and indirectly. It is passed on from one generation to another. Now I know why my best friend told me: “My mama says, “I’m too big to play with the Nigras now.” We were ten years old at the time. The dust mind says, “Regardless if I destroy myself, that I will do if I could just continue to hate YOU.” This is a good example of destroying you.
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