The New York Post's Political Cartoon Paradox
Posted: Thursday, February 19, 2009
by Sandra E. Graham
My Books and Articles
Recently the New York Post political cartoonist had published a cartoon that may or may not have any racial implications intended at all. Whatever his intent, he has probably produced his intended results. He certainly got the attention of anyone and everyone who can access the Internet or read the New York Post. Some feel that his cartoon doesn't have a racial overture-but rather symbolizes the rabid chimpanzee which attacked its owner, as being the stimulus bill that will turn on Americans and bite the hand that feeds it. It could possibly have been purely coincidental that police shot and killed the chimp after it viciously mauled its owner.
Most people know that President Obama was not the author of the stimulus bill, but instead was just among the many whose signature was required in order for it to pass. So, one might wonder how some might think that there was a reference between the chimpanzee and President Obama. Possibly the wording of the cartoon caption might have been edited to clarify the issue. But apparently the head of The New York Post defends the cartoon and feels there is nothing racist about it. Could they be inferring that a monkey, as the bill stands now, could have written the bill? Now that is something that I could possibly relate to. But I don't feel the remark by the one police officer put that point across very clearly---" They will have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."
Growing up in a non-racial environment, I was never taught to be racist against any one no matter their nationality or religious convictions. However, as I grew older and moved into larger cities where the ratio of mixed nationalities was greater, I am ashamed to admit that I did hear many blacks being referred to as being descended from primates. I didn't enjoy hearing it then and won't allow it to be said in my presence now. I am a firm believer that God created all people equal. With that said, I should not have given the cartoon a second thought. But I did. I found it to be irreprehensible, no matter the cartoonist's intent!
How could Sean Delonas have not known that the cartoon would offend many people? Could it be that his bid for publicity just out-weighed his common sense? He certainly reaped a large amount of publicity-not all good. I think I would be ashamed to work for a paper that would use such tactics. Even if Delonas had meant no racial intentions, what of the feelings of the family whose loved one is in the hospital in serious condition after the attack of the chimpanzee. But, here again, I'm sure the Post will fall back on the old clich` of "Free Speech" and all that-they don't earn their big bucks by worrying about the feelings of their reading public.
American's continue to shock me with their irresponsible actions and perverse ideals in a time when we should all be working together at making a new and better country where we can all live in peace and harmony. Why must we continue to show the rest of the world that we are no longer the great United States of America that we started out to be?
I love my country, but I sometimes have problems understanding the thinking of people of authority and people who are heard when they speak, drowning out the concerns of the little guy. Any way you look at this cartoon, it is obscene and in very poor taste. The cartoonist and his paper should be required to make a public apology to all Americans.
The link below shows the cartoon. In no way do I condone this type of advertising. When a wild animal has to be put down because of agression toward people, you won't see a photo of that in any newspaper or magazine, so why make a joke about this particular case????
Growing up in a non-racial environment, I was never taught to be racist against any one no matter their nationality or religious convictions. However, as I grew older and moved into larger cities where the ratio of mixed nationalities was greater, I am ashamed to admit that I did hear many blacks being referred to as being descended from primates. I didn't enjoy hearing it then and won't allow it to be said in my presence now. I am a firm believer that God created all people equal. With that said, I should not have given the cartoon a second thought. But I did. I found it to be irreprehensible, no matter the cartoonist's intent!
How could Sean Delonas have not known that the cartoon would offend many people? Could it be that his bid for publicity just out-weighed his common sense? He certainly reaped a large amount of publicity-not all good. I think I would be ashamed to work for a paper that would use such tactics. Even if Delonas had meant no racial intentions, what of the feelings of the family whose loved one is in the hospital in serious condition after the attack of the chimpanzee. But, here again, I'm sure the Post will fall back on the old clich` of "Free Speech" and all that-they don't earn their big bucks by worrying about the feelings of their reading public.
American's continue to shock me with their irresponsible actions and perverse ideals in a time when we should all be working together at making a new and better country where we can all live in peace and harmony. Why must we continue to show the rest of the world that we are no longer the great United States of America that we started out to be?
I love my country, but I sometimes have problems understanding the thinking of people of authority and people who are heard when they speak, drowning out the concerns of the little guy. Any way you look at this cartoon, it is obscene and in very poor taste. The cartoonist and his paper should be required to make a public apology to all Americans.
The link below shows the cartoon. In no way do I condone this type of advertising. When a wild animal has to be put down because of agression toward people, you won't see a photo of that in any newspaper or magazine, so why make a joke about this particular case????
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Sandra E. Graham, author, AMOS JAKEY and NICOLINA published by American Book Publishing. Sandra loves to write about people and if you enjoy reading about people, you will love these books. Her first two novels are historical/adventure/fiction of early 1900's America. Sandra also writes book reviews for authors through Book Pleasures (no charge for reviews). Visit her website for more information on her books that are in print now and reviews she has written.
http://www.sandragraham-articles-books.com
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)I'm surprised no one has commented on your article yet. One other member of this site has also written an article about this cartoon and has received quite a few comments.I haven't seen this cartoon, but read the description from the other article. I can see how it could be taken to be racist, as that was my first impression. Perhaps there was another meaning in it, but that didn't come out as clear. Cartoons are meant to be easily understood and if the alternate interpretation has to be explained, then maybe the first one was the intended one.Either way, I agree with you. It was in bad taste. To quote a line out of a poem I wrote some time ago, "But maybe we should think of others, how do we sound to them?"Thanks so much, David. I haven't read the other article--I didn't know someone else had written on it and was wondering why it didn't raise any concerns amoung our searchwarpers. I'll have to look up the article.And yes, I can't understand why more people don't consider the feelings of others before making "a monkey out of themselves!"Thanks again.Sandra
Sandra, in response to David's surprise no one had commented on your article, you had just posted this one and the other had been out for a number of days.
Thank you for seeing the obscenity, disgrace and poor taste of that cartoon. I agree with you, it should be viewed as offensive to all people and a public apology should be made.
Enjoy a lovely weekend, Sandra. God bless your gentle, loving and caring heart.Thanks, Avis. I'm sure there are many, many people who were affended by this type of insensitivity--even from a media mogul.I still haven't seen the other article about it, but I intend to look it up to see there take on it.Thanks for reading and commenting. And have a great weekend.Sandra
hi sandra,i kept my kids from watching the simpson's and southpark until they were in their teens, and i was the only mom they knew who did so, however, the content of both is totally inappropriate to me.the envelop gets pushed further and further.a man's sexual commercial was on last night at 7:30.mom's used to be safe until 9.i think everything is way past respectful taste.thanks for sharing this with us,best regards,sueAnd now we have "Family Guy" to add to list of strikes! It is hard to find a good and decent movie on TV any more that doesn't fill the screen with smut and four-letter words. And we wonder what is becoming of our world?Thanks for reading and commenting, Sue.Have a good week-end.Sandra
Howdy Sandra, I am absolutely appauled at the cartoon, the New York Times has just lost a customer. I am very angered about the cartoon no matter what the reasoning was behind even making or publishing it. I am talking about the concerns I have for the poor Mrs. Nash, the attack victim, of this brutal attack, and that of the owner of the chimp, Mrs Harold. Both the victim, and the owner will have to live out their days in a nightmare of that day. Mrs Nash was severly disfigured, and from what I last read, will no longer be able to see because her eyes were ripped out. I find this cartoon both in bad taste to the victim, and also to the fact that it could, and probably will be conceived as a racist statement by the paper and the illustrator. They should have never published it....My heart goes out to the victim and her family, and to that of President Obama. Either way, it should have not been allowed to be published, I have written a letter to the editor, with my distain for the cartoon. As usual, your article was very informative, and keep me rivited to the content, Thanks for sharing this, Your fan, and friend in pen......Gary.....I wrote an article about this attack....you might want to read it.....God Bless and keep writing, I agree with your disagreement of this cartoon being published....Good work.Thanks, Gary. I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this type of ignorance is not to be construed as 'free speech.'Thanks for reading and commenting. Yes, I will be sure to read your articles also.I hope many others voice their opinions.Sandra
Thank you for another great article and as always something to keep my mind functioning. I have not seen the cartoon nor have any desire to do so. My hubby told me about it. I too have a hard time with the standards people are trying to push upon us today. I stopped watching television a long time ago because I think most of it is disgusting and morally deplorable. Thanks again, Linda DThanks, Linda, for reading and commenting. I just read that the NY Post has appologized, but don't they always--after they get the hype!Thanks again and have a good day.Sandra
I grew up in a house filled with racists. I thought what normal people did on Sunday was that we went to church, came home and had a roast, the women went into the kitchen to wash dishes and the men went into the living room and told N---- jokes. Even after the Civil Rights Movement was generally accepted, my father would not watch TV shows that were about black people. "I won't let N----s in my house and I won't have them getting into my house through the TV." The level of racism that existed and exists is shocking. So a cartoon like the one where a monkey is shot, the monkey compared to the author of the stimulus package, and we have a black man as President, well, there is no way this is not a racist cartoon. Anyone who can't see that is disingenuous, dim witted, or just trying to defend the indefensible. Thanks for writing about this cartoon. It was ugly, evil, wrong, and must be condemned so soundly, and widely, and relentlessly, that it won't happen again. Had the paper hired more people of color on their staff MAYBE they would have had someone on staff say, "Don't run that crap. This is wrong, and it is going to be so offensive to the public that you will get a painful snap from the backlash." I guess they had no one on staff with insight, compassion, or common sense.Thank you, Tex. I feel the same--there should be more retribution here than just an 'appology' from that paper. It should be fined, closed down, or both. I still feel they knew it was wrong and did it just for the publicity that it would stir up. They probably sold millions of copies just so people could see what the fuss was about.Thanks again for reading and commenting.Sandra
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