N.Y. Post defends cartoon linking Obama stimulus to dead chimp

[newtothegame]

Source: Associated Press

NEW YORK – The New York Post is standing behind a cartoon that some have interpreted as comparing President Barack Obama to a violent chimpanzee gunned down by police. The cartoon in Wednesday's Post by Sean Delonas shows two police officers standing over the body of a bullet-riddled chimp. One of the officers says the other, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

Civil rights activist Al Sharpton called the cartoon "troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys." But Sharpton said the Post should clarify the point it was trying to make with the cartoon, which was playing off Monday's rampage by a pet chimpanzee in Stamford, Conn., that left a woman severely mauled. Police ended up killing the chimp.

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."

A story about the cartoon on the liberal-leaning Huffington Post Web site drew hundreds of reader responses, many calling the cartoon racist and insensitive. Sam Stein, a columnist for the site, wrote that "at its most benign, the cartoon suggests that the stimulus bill was so bad, monkeys may as well have written it. 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."




Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090218/ap_en_ot/ny_post_cartoon

---

I'm not sure what to think of this...I kind of agree with the NY Post editor that Al enjoys being a sensationalist and likes to make headlines...otherwise he wouldn't have a job.

[LeftishBrit]

1. A rabid chimp? Aren't they mixing their presidents up?

The rabid chimp just moved out!

[guitarrista]

2. I just don't get the joke

It looks like the NY Post's joke was so bad that it backfired. I can't understand what the monkey has to do with the authors of the stimulus.

[dustbunnie]

12. I think the point the cartoonist was attempting to make is that both are examples of -

bat-shit crazy.

[superconnected]

35. A lot of people think blacks look like apes - or chimps. It's completely racist.

[treestar]

109. And yet Dubya is white

And wins the contest for "human that looks most like a chimp" hands down.

[VaYallaDawg]

3. My take = NY Post was delighted to get criticism from Sharpton.

That way they can attribute the response to an "over-sensitivity" on his part (since he does, indeed, always seem to hover around the flames).

That still leaves the original premise in place - the cartoon was tacky, tasteless, thoughtless, and plain old wrong.

[Seeking Serenity]

5. It was trite and banal

and was really a stretch trying to make its point against the stimulus bill (to wit, that it was so bad, it could only have been written by lower primates; ha-ha, that's funny, yep), but, honestly, I didn't see the racism or any reference to President Obama until someone here brought it up.

I didn't think the president had that much to do with the writing of the stimulus bill, but that it was written by-and-large by Congress.

[VaYallaDawg]

29. We're on the same page. I didn't see any ref. to Obama

in the cartoon on its own merit - just after there were reactions to it. He didn't craft the final pkg anyway, that's the result of congress.

[No Elephants]

113. But the cartoon did not say that a dead chimp means "they" are going to have to

fine a new Congress or a new crafter of the next final stimulus package. It said they are going to have to find a new AUTHOR for the next stimulus package. Why would a new author be necessary? Because the chimp was dead. From that, it follows that the chimp was the AUTHOR of the President's stimulus package.

The AUTHOR of a written work is not the person or persons who do the editing or amending. It's the person or persons who produce the first version.

.

[No Elephants]

64. It was the President's stimulus bill. Congress made some changes to it, but the bill

originated with the White House.

[THUNDER HANDS]

4. just because Sharpton is a sensationalist doesn't mean he's wrong in this instance

and it's fairly obvious this is racism. Not even covert racism.

[EFerrari]

6. Exactly. Al is right, no matter if one likes his style or not.

How classless of the paper to try to divert attention to him instead of just apologizing.

[DrDeke]

15. just because Sharpton is a sensationalist doesn't mean he's wrong in this instance

Definitely a racist cartoon!

[Theobald]

7. The Stimulus Bill is written

by congress, not the president, so I don't see any racist conotations to it. Overall the cartoon just wasn't funny.

[Tempest]

32. The bill was proposed by Obama

And the spending was outlined by the administration, not Congress.

[happygoluckytoyou]

8. WEVE BEEN CALLING BUSH A CHIMP FOR 8 YEARS... grow a spine ! !!

[newtothegame]

10. Agreed.

Guys like Al Sharpton have basically made the word "racism" meaningliess at this point.

[marksmithfield]

60. Sharpton

Is merely a self promoting buffoon. This cartoon could be taken several ways, if you look for racism you can find it in many things. Poor taste yes, racist? no.

[No Elephants]

67. Racism still means what it has always meant.

[biopowertoday]

13. so that was racist also?

That is the logic as I see it.

NO, is my opine.

[rocktivity]

39. My logic is running toward dead black chimp = dead black president.

And I believe theirs is, too.

Besides, the New York Post calling someone a sensationalist is like Michael Jackson calling someone a kook.

:headbang:
rocknation

[slackmaster]

91. All humans resemble chimps to a degree

I think mocking any individual human by making a comparison to a chimp is more of an insult to chimps than anything else.

[THUNDER HANDS]

14. bush was called a chimp

because his face looked like one and he had a habit of walking like one.

Obama is being referenced as a chimp because he's black - which is a racial slur that goes back decades with regards to black people.


there's a HUGE difference.

[newtothegame]

17. According to who though? You?

Proof behind either statement? I mean I realize that if you call anything and everything racist, at some point you will indeed catch a Racist, but...

[THUNDER HANDS]

26. um...yeah

why do you think he was called Chimp?

and do you seriously doubt the history of black people being connected in disparaging ways with monkeys and chimps?

[newtothegame]

27. Don't doubt the history...

But I can't just believe this - "Obama is being referenced as a chimp because he's black - which is a racial slur that goes back decades with regards to black people" - because you say so.

[wickerwoman]

40. Then learn something about the iconography of slavery in America

and get back to us.

Slavery was justified for years because blacks were "sub-human" and closer to apes than people. In the south, black people are sometimes called "porch monkeys" to imply that they are lazy. At soccer games in the 60s, white supremicist fans threw bananas at the field when the first black players broke into the English premier league.

There's a HUGE difference between saying George looks like a chimp and pointing out his facial grimaces and that Obama *is* a chimp because he's black, especially given the massively racist and offensive history of referring to black people as monkeys.

[wickerwoman]

42. Spanish soccer fans making monkey gestures at a black player

http://redhenblog.blogspot.com/2004/11/spain-has-racists-too.html

This is less than five years old.

On edit:

Also: the Croatian football league was fined last year because fans were making monkey gestures at black players:

http://www.croatiansoccerreport.com/2008/09/croatian-fa-fined.html?widgetType=BlogArchive&widgetId=BlogArchive1&action=toggle&dir=close&toggle=YEARLY-1199174400000&toggleopen=MONTHLY-1222844400000

On edit:

1930's book cover from "Tintin in the Congo":











Little Black Sambo

http://contemporaryafricandiasporicart.blogspot.com/2008/04/is-this-art-racist.html

1870's political cartoon showing an organ grinder as his monkey to criticize the democratic party's effort to register black voters:

[newtothegame]

47. Yes but your post can't be referring to the political cartoon...

because no one is "saying...that Obama *is* a chimp because he's black, especially given the massively racist and offensive history of referring to black people as monkeys." So I'm still waiting to see where someone's saying and you're not assuming? Although I agree, it is fun to try to find racism in anything and everything; it's sure a useful tool shutting up the opposition.

[devilgrrl]

52. You're so right - it wasn't racist at all!

:nuke:

[wickerwoman]

58. The point of political satire is that things are assumed, not said.

Images have context and subtext, political cartoons doubly so. When that context and subtext are racist, so is the cartoon... with the exception of an ironic treatment (which this is clearly not).

Obama was the prime moving force behind the stimulus bill. The Republicans are the cops who tried to shoot it down. If the monkey isn't Obama, who is it meant to symbolize?

The GOP has been pussy-footing around with racist code-words and images ever since it was clear that Obama would be the nominee. Google "racist cartoon monkey" and you'll see half a dozen examples of Obama's face photoshopped onto Curious George cartoons or pictures of apes.

It may not have been intentional, but it is still racist and in extraordinarily bad taste given that the last prominent black political force (ironically, the person in your avatar) was gunned down for trying to change things.

[No Elephants]

63. When you draw an African American as a simian, you don't need to spell anything else out. It's

self evident to anyone who was not born yesterday.

[newtothegame]

83. Show me the African-American drawn as a simian.

I see a stimulus bill, passed by the Senate which is 99/100 white, that is drawn as a simian. Desperation.

ed for sp

[devilgrrl]

86. Desperation? You're an embarrassment to your avatar!

:puke:

[newtothegame]

87. MLK spoke for justice...not desperately trying to play "gotcha" games.

[devilgrrl]

95. You're a racial arsonist - end of story!

:nuke:

[newtothegame]

90. In fact, I think MLK would be rolling in his grave that this is the stuff...

the NCAAP focuses its time and money on 40 years later. That the mission is so misguided that the leaders make more headlines talking about cutting off Obama's nuts in a TV interview than moving forward civil rights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZEsHj66EBY

ed for link

[No Elephants]

98. And you can speak for how a man who died decades ago would react to this thread?

[newtothegame]

99. Sorry sister, this is one black man that doesn't think that everyone is out to get him at all times.

And proud to say I have the self-respect to think more highly of myself and my race than that.

[devilgrrl]

102. Whatever you say Mr. Christie.

Or is it Steele? I keep forgetting.

[No Elephants]

100. P.S. Please see Post ##'s 96, 97 and 18.

[LanternWaste]

88. As is...

"it's sure a useful tool shutting up the opposition...."

As is a conscious denial to entertain more than one interpretation as being valid. And back-handed, none-too-clever insults, too.

[No Elephants]

69. If you are unfamiliar with historic and current portrayals of African

Americans as simians and using terms like "porch monkey," you need to get familiar.

[newtothegame]

85. Show me the African-American drawn as a simian.

I see a stimulus bill, passed by the Senate which is 99/100 white, that is drawn as a simian. In fact it says "Stimulus" right on it. Desperation.

[LanternWaste]

89. Who was the architect of the bill? Who signed it?

Who was the architect of the bill? Who signed it? Who does the de-facto responsibility of it lie on?

(Hint: Not the Senate)

[No Elephants]

97. Please see Post # 96. And then see Post # 18. BTW, what exactly is

supposed to be the source of my desperation, according to you?

[wickerwoman]

111. If the monkey is the stimulus bill the caption doesn't make any sense.

The cops say something like "guess we need someone else to write the next stimulus bill." So the monkey isn't the bill, it's the author of the bill. And regardless of who actually put fingers to keyboard, everyone knows that Obama is the "author" of the bill in the sense that it is based on his ideas and he is the prime moving force behind it.

[NeoConsSuck]

49. Not just him

I suppose Roland Martin is another one who cries wolf also? :eyes:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/18/martin.cartoon/index.html

[devilgrrl]

53. Forget it, he's hopeless.

eom

[fob]

62. One issue with Roland's story. He says if bush* were the president

for this cartoon it would be "silly humor". I think sean delonas could escape the racist aspect of the cartoon if that were the case, but it still strikes me as sean saying it's okay to shoot the prez if he pushes for legislation you don't like. Either way sean should be getting a very serious visit from the secret service about this.

[No Elephants]

68. Exactly. Thank you.

[slackmaster]

92. You're saying that both men are compared to chimps because of physical traits

Traits that they did not choose and have no real control over.

[BklnDem75]

18. It's generally not a good idea to compare a black man to a monkey...

no matter what kind of statement you're trying to make. I didn't have to read the article to feel offended. There's a difference between calling one man a monkey and saying it to someone who's race has been referred to monkeys for 400+ years and still counting. It's just not a good career move and not a good life move either. Especially in NYC.

[Faygo Kid]

21. I'm offended by the pic of a dead chimp with two bullet holes.

Sickening. It's not just politics that makes the cartoon offensive.

[EFerrari]

44. I'll have "Context" for $20, Alex. n/t

[Zhade]

48. Um, b*s* isn't a black man. Calling AAs "monkeys" is a long-standing racist epithet.

You're comparing apples and asteroids.

[conspirator]

59. How many newspapers printed bush being shot? nt

[No Elephants]

71. The shot is not the issue. The problem is depicting the President, who was the source of the

stiumulus package and who is African American, as a chimp in a centuries old racist tradition.

[No Elephants]

65. Bush was called a chimp for the way that he behaved, not because of the color

skin with which he was born. Not AT ALL comparable.

[treestar]

108. But that's because he looks like one and has the mentality of one

(well, that's an insult to chimps, however) - there's no history of white men being put down by such comparisons.

[cornermouse]

9. The cartoonist clearly links a dead chimp to Obama.

I see that as an attempt to threaten and intimidate. I hope the Secret Service is talking to them.

[NeoConsSuck]

37. I agree

in my opinion, it was a racist threat.

[goclark]

103. I agree as well ~ I'll never pick up that paper again in life

[Taverner]

11. This is racist. 100%

And the artist gave himself a convenient current event to hide behind.

I mean, why the chimp? Why specifically that? It had no connection with the stimulus until this cartoon.

[Joe Chi Minh]

28. Hairy, thin-lipped, Caucasian primates. Angry at their own simian

physical features.

[No Elephants]

73. Racism against Caucasians is your response to racism against African Americans?

[Joe Chi Minh]

110. Only if you're dumb enough to vilify the way God made every one of us.

Sometimes it's legitimate, even necessary to give blasphemous haters some of their own medicine, that is to say, use their own sorry values in response, simply because it is the only thing they understand.

In this case, I was pointing out the stupidity of the way in which racists try to stereotype people of African extraction, not on the grounds that it is blasphemous and evil, but because of the pathetically inapt and stupid ways in which they seek to revile them. A graphic example of the saying that, when you point the finger of condemnation at someone, three fingers are point back at you.

Did you, did any of us, have a choice as to our appearance when we were born? Of course not. And, after the blasphemy, therein lies the ultimate stupidity and malice of racism.

[No Elephants]

114. No, I had no choice Then again, I'm not the one who posted "Hairy, thin-lipped, Caucasian primates.

[Xipe Totec]

16. Judge by the reputation of the source

The New York Pest...

Any other newspaper, I might give the benefit of the doubt.

[florida08]

19. oops

meant to apply to original.

[florida08]

20. ponder this

The stimulus bill written by democrats in both houses is the monkey. The police are the republicans. If you notice there's two holes in the monkey referencing both the Senate and the House republicans voted no. The senate vote was 61-37 because of 3 republicans who voted with the democrats. So no bipartisanship. The um.."police" shot the hell out of it. :sarcasm: Only the monkey will come back in a year or two and bite them in the ass..imho

[Spazito]

22. Credible cartoonists caption their symbolic caricatures to ensure the public gets it...

ie putting Congress across the body of the chimp. If you check out previous works by the creep, you will see he has used this kind of captioning in many of his toons yet did not in this one.


Just an oversight, I am sure. :sarcasm:

[florida08]

23. this creep

as you put so well did suggest a double meaning here but that was probably unintentional I'm sure?

[No Elephants]

74. Except the White House was the source of the bill. Congress tinkered with it, but it originated

with the President. And please see Post #18.

[TEXASYANKEE]

24. I thought cartoons were supposed to be funny.

Whether it's racist is debatable. But it's definitely not funny.

[Dogmudgeon]

25. Cue complaints of "Stalinist Political Correctness"

Next in line: "But they call bi-racial people coloreds in most of the rest of the world!"

:eyes:

--p!

[The Wizard]

30. I'm shocked

shocked I tell you to see the paper version of Pox News is publishing bigoted cartoons. They wish the president was shot dead by the police. They can spin until they're dizzy, but the Post is a propaganda arm of the Republican Party, and the Republican Party has made all minorities "the other" we should fear.
Can anyone imagine a propaganda arm of a political party aligned with the Ku Klux Klan would publish hateful bigotry. It does make good fish wrapping, bird cage liner and shredded as kitty litter.

They're either feigning ignorance or indignity.
Everything changes once the lying starts.

[peacetalksforall]

31. I really resent all the dumping on Al Sharpton by Dems. There is nothing

wrong with his point of view. He is always the first one to speak out about inappropriate acts of Republicans. He speaks for many. If people don't like his delivery they should just state that and not condemn the whole person.

I'll take 1000 Al Sharptons over those who allow Republicans to keep getting away with their atrocities that are lead heavy in bigotry, lies, excessive distortion, and allusions.

Why don't Dems just let Al do his thing his way.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

34. + 1 n/t

[EFerrari]

43. I'm with you. Al is nearly the first one to speak out

and sometimes, he's the only one.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

33. Sean Delonas is a homophobic, racist SCUMBAG

The Post is the print equivalent to Murdoch's FUX SNOOZ...
The Post's editor, keeping in lockstep character with the News Corp. script, accuses SHARPTON of being a sensationalist. Laughable at best.


NOTHING TO SEE HERE, MOVE ALONG...

[CanonRay]

36. Defending the indefensable....a Republican speciaity

[devilgrrl]

54. Oh come now! You're just being over-sensitive!

:sarcasm:

[AnneD]

38. Looks racist to me.....

and I have a very broad sense of humour.

[kirby]

41. 1st Amend right. n/t

[No Elephants]

75. A racist cartoon may protected by the First Amendment, but the First Amendment does

not protect the cartoon from being labeled for what it is --racist and despicable.

[Raine]

45. It's not funny

on so many levels, it's not funny. Even without the racial aspect it's not funny. Dead shot animals that attack and nearly kill someone are not funny either.

[daleo]

46. If you have to explain a joke, then it's not a very good one

Or, your explanation is insincere i.e. you don't really want to admit what you were getting at.

[No Elephants]

76. It is perfectly accurate that a chimp was recently in the news. That does

not explain why an African American is being portrayed as a chimp. So, the Post's bringing up the recent chimp story does absolutely nothing to absolve the Post.

[JerseygirlCT]

50. I do understand that was the cartoonists intent... BUT

all it takes is a very fast second look, and the Post should have opted not to run it. Far too many overtones of a particularly nasty kind.

I mean, I got the CT chimp - maybe b/c I'm in CT. But it also took a mere second to see the other possibilities, and they're violent and racist, and unbelievably hurtful and ugly.

[Best_man23]

51. How News Corp hasn't ended up on SPLC's Hate Group List

Escapes me.

[The Stranger]

55. Wait. You don't know what to think except that Sharpton is a "sensationalist"?

Are you fucking kidding me? That is what you take from this?

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?

[No Elephants]

78. Exactly.

[cboy4]

56. Hmmm. Well, considering President Obama is black,

the cartoon is not appropriate and should not have been published for obvious reasons.

No question about it, for a number of reasons -- not the least of which is because there's the whole BART train shooting of an unarmed black passenger in Oakland (by a white cop), still very much in the news.

However, let's be honest and think about this objectively ... let's examine the cartoon for a second without taking race into account.

Political artists almost always tie the issue they've been assigned to cartoon .. this time: (stimulus bill controversy), into a recent news event.

Think about comedians like Letterman -- they try to tie a news event to celebrities and issues. People get it, because it's a fresh on their mind.

The Republicans, with the exception of only three politicians in all of the house and senate, voted NO on the stimulus package. They voted "yes" It was a huge nightmare for weeks and weeks.

So that was the idea. Associating the stimulus fiasco with "shooting" it down by the overwhelming number of Republicans.... It just so happens cops had to shoot down a chimp recently.

Perfect! But it wasn't perfect, considering black people are stereotypically associated with apes by a lot of racists and bigots.

Never-the-less, the cartoonist decided to use the chimp as the object of the shooting.

Keep in mind, theoretically, the artist could have drawn a GOP elephant standing next to the smoldering remains of that plane wreckage in suburban Buffalo and said the same thing -- but Jesus ... can you imagine how that would have played out?!?

Ape standing next to the rubble saying, "they'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill." :wtf:

Instead, the artist chose the current event that killed nobody as opposed to 150.

Again, I don't think the cartoon below should have been published because it can easily be, and has been, interpreted as racist.

However I think the cartoon is clever and creative on its own. I do.

LONG ass explanation I know, but I wanted to make sure everyone understood my position perfectly:

Clever, creative cartoon....Bad idea to have published it.

And by the way .. disappear Al Sharpton. I'm really sick of everything being racist.

[newtothegame]

61. Well said. n/t

[No Elephants]

79. I'm wondering just what game it is that you are new to.

[cboy4]

82. Thanks....I think the people who are shitting on what I wrote

made up their minds they were going to lash out no matter what.

Either that, or they didn't read completely and slowly so they had a chance of understanding.

The bottom line is these are folks who don't get art, and in particular, political art/sarcasm/irony.

[No Elephants]

77. Please see Post # 18. You cannot take race out of it. It that is the standard, then

nothing is racist.

And, bTW, if I take race out of it, it still is not a clever or funny cartoon. Nothing about it is funny.

[cboy4]

81. Of course it's clever.

I realize you don't get it, but that doesn't mean it's so.

[No Elephants]

93. From this thread, it appears that your knee jerk reaction to any disagreement is to go

ad hominem. Sad.

BTW, there is a huge difference between "I don't get it," and "I understand everything you CLAIMED the cartoonist had in mind and I don't find it funny."

[cboy4]

101. Look way up in the sky No Elephants

That's the point soaring right over your noggin.

Maybe you can get one of the smart kids in the class to explain it to you.

[No Elephants]

105. Thanks for helping me proving my point, but you did not need to. Your other posts already have.

[cboy4]

107. Zooooooooom

[newtothegame]

84. Show me the African-American drawn as a simian.

I see a stimulus bill, passed by the Senate which is 99/100 white, that is drawn as a simian. In fact is actually says "Stimulus" right on it. Desperation.

[No Elephants]

96. Here is the cartoon as provided by the Post to

MSNBC. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29263781/ It does not say "stimulus bill." It shows a dead chimp and a policeman is saying, "They'll have to get someone ELSE to write the NEXT stimulus bill. (my caps).

If that does not say to you that the dead chimp was the author of the first stimulus bill, ole newtothegame, what would?

Who was in reality the author of the President's stimulus bill?

[w4rma]

57. You're not sure about linking Obama, the first African-American President, to a dead monkey?

I'm guessing a lot gets past you. I'm just wondering if your pretending to be this dense or if you are telling the truth (it's hard to tell, sometimes).

[cboy4]

80. Sorry I didn't post this in nothing but kindergarten

pictures so you'd understand, but I just assumed everyone here can comprehend big people writing.

The bottom line is I articulated that the cartoon should not have been published because it's inappropriate .. but you're apparently not interested in reading and comprehending.

You're more interested in faux outrage, hyperbole and name-calling.

Either you're not very smart at all, or you didn't read what I wrote.

Which is it?

[w4rma]

112. You said you aren't sure what to make of this, but the logic is obvious. Even for kindergardeners.nt

[Runcible Spoon]

66. Chimps aren't monkeys, they are APES.

Sorry, pet peeve.

[kwassa]

70. well, that certainly improves the meaning of this cartoon.

:sarcasm:

[Runcible Spoon]

72. Of course it doesn't, wasn't my point.

:eyes:

Just don't want DUers looking like idiots; too bad you got the memo late.

[nc4bo]

94. Al himself said he's an activist and his job is to draw attention to a problem

Naturally the media would like to spend more time tar and feathering Al than it does the cause itself.

Al has a big HUGE presence. He has a big head too but there is no doubt that his presence brings attention to whatever cause he is representing and takes helluva flack for it too.

He's an activist. That's what activists do. :dunce:

[Redstone]

104. No fucking excuses. None. Portraying an African person as a monkey is racist. Period.

NO fucking excuses.

Redstone

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

106. If the punchline had said

anything else BUT what it did, I could let it pass. What does the stimulis package have to do with a chimp, except that Obama is black?

[No Elephants]

115. Specifically, what does the AUTHOR of the stimulus bill, commonly

referred to as "the President's stimulus package" have to do with a chimp?

People who are spinning themselves into crap to defend this cartoonist and the Post probably don't belong on a Democratic message board. Probably not in decent company in general. JMO.