Speaking of race, here’s the cartoon that appeared this week in the New York Post. Most people, including many elected officials in New York, journalists, and others, reacted negatively to the cartoon, citing its racist overtones and insensitivity towards the historical depictions of blacks (and Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese, as an aside) as “closer” to other primates than whites. The Post issued an “apology” that neither really apologized, nor explained the true intention of the cartoon, although they did insist the intention was not to depict President Obama as a chimpanzee- or one shot dead by police, at that. The Post also criticized Al Sharpton’s objections to the cartoon, calling him a “publicity opportunist”. Yet, the stark absence of an alternative explanation for the cartoon leaves many wondering what the connection between the wild, violent rampage of a chimp kept as a pet in Connecticut and the drafting and passage of the financial stimulus bill this week in Congress … if not a barely-veiled, violent, racist jab or threat towards Obama. Why is the Post unwilling to acknowledge the content, the meaning, or the fact that it has widely offended many people? How does the Post’s lack of apology prevent us from questioning its fairly overt racism? How does their criticism of Sharpton reflect their true beliefs about race and their attempt to silence Sharpton’s voice on the issue? Does this cartoon reflect our collective racial attitudes? What effect do images like this have on the stereotypes that are deeply embedded within us?
Speaking of race, here’s the cartoon that appeared this week in the New York Post. Most people, including many elected officials in 
I don't think this cartoon is a reflection of our collective racial attitudes. I think that we wouldn't have a black president if collectively people still had such strong racial attitudes. However, that is not to say that racism does not exist because clearly it does. Clearly people are still so very immature in viewing race. I have no idea how a newspaper such as the Post ever let this cartoon go to print. I think that says something about the editors on the Post. Newspapers are supposed to report the news and not let their veiws get in the way. That is not really the case anymore.
ReplyDeleteI think images such as this one have a great effect on the stereotypes people have created. They encourage the stereotypes to continue which leads to the continuation of racism. The idea that blacks look like primates is absolutely ridiculous.