The monkey thing, Rev Sharpton, etc.

[morningglory]

I have been all "tee-hee" about the chimp cartoon and the response because I am sure the whole thing is retribution for our calling the Chunky Monkey in Chief a chimperor, and monkey for years. Pictures on the internet comparing his expressions to chimp expressions are just the beginning. I feel Pres Obama is not insulted because Lincoln was called an ape all the time, and we all know we have the handsomest pres since JFK. Olbermann even reacted a bit over the top. I don't like criticism of the pres and it was unfair, but was it unfair for me to call POTUS Monkeyboy for 8 years? Tempest in a teapot. I live in Florida and there was an article catapulting the propaganda about P Bush not quite ready to make a run, as he has to accomplish something with his life first. What he is accomplishing right now is being a partner in a real estate investment firm. Don't know what corporation gave him the money for his mansion yet. He is going to be shoved down our throats immediately after he accomplishes that goal.

[Occam Bandage]

1. I'll say first that I don't believe the cartoon was comparing Obama to a chimp.

That said, there is a profound difference between comparing a white man to a chimpanzee and comparing a black man to a chimpanzee.

[Warpy]

3. Very much so. However, the cartoonist

was clearly saying the stimulus bill had been authored by a single raging chimp shot dead by police, ha ha ha. I guess they missed the part where conservatives in Congress tried to fuck it up.

The problems with that cartoon are two: first, the long history of black people in the south being classified with apes and other sub humans in order to keep them separate and oppressed and second, the history of the NYC white police of gunning down unarmed people of color. Both things combined to make that cartoon outrageously offensive to people of color and those of us with little melanin but a knowledge of both history and the sensibilities of our neighbors.

The Post has always been the paper of the angry white male victim. This cartoon is only the latest in a whole series of disgustingly racist, sexist and classist offerings from that paper. It's high time someone spoke out about that stuff.

But they didn't call Obama a chimp any more than Obama called Palin a pig.

[HillbillyBob]

2. The big difference is that the chimperor was not legally installed

in the WH.

[stillcool]

4. I think the difference is..

that monkey/ape etc., has been used as a slur against black people, since before George Bush was even born.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Sharpton has some serious baggage, with him leading the charge on this it will not be taken

as serious as it could be.

[BlooInBloo]

6. You fucking fail.

[TahitiNut]

7. D'ya think?

:rofl:

[Caliman73]

8. Perhaps Rev Sharpton has a history of bombast and the like...but

You cannot take the cartoon without taking the context and the history of that particular slur into mind. There are FEW to NO racial slurs that White people have to suffer. There are many that have come to describe and denigrate minorities. The monkey/ape has been a slur against Black people since the inception of this country. I can spray paint a swastika on a wall because I like the zig-zag lines, but I cannot expect people not to be offended because the swastika is a symbol of racism and antisemitism.

Reverend Sharpton has thrown his support behind many events that people may consider frivolous, but in his mind he is fighting to bring to light the racial attitudes that continue to plague this nation. Perhaps we do not agree with his style, but his message in this case is right on. Political controversy is fine, but there is an expectation that journalists have a better idea of what is provocative and what is simply offensive.

[Luminous Animal]

9. I will post this again...

On the morning that the cartoon was published, eliminationist bigots on the vile racist white supremacist organization Stormfront website a member there started a thread titled thus:

Look At Today's Political Cartoon! (Monkey posing as obama!)

The title and the comments in that thread of one of the most organized and disgusting hate groups in the U.S. immediately concluded that the cartoon's victim was indeed a representation of Obama and they praised the cartoonist for his bravery.


I really do not give a flying fuck for these idle intellectual interpretations of the cartoon. And then there is post from the thread:

You might be a White Nationalist if:

1) You laughed at that cartoon.
2) You laughed harder at Uncle Al's outrage.
3) You're only mad because you didn't think of it first.
4) You posted it on the office bulletin board.
5) You posted it on your black supervisor's door.
6) You copied it for Xmas cards.
7) You personally autographed a copy and sent it to your favorite black politician.
8)You only wonder what kind of ammo the cop was using.
9) You keep a copy in your wallet next to the kids' pics to show your friends.
10) You store it in in the ol' hard drive and repeatedly use it on Stormfront, (like the Heineken Looter Dude.)

When racists agree that it is racist, then it is racist.