Now that theres a black president shouldnt this kind of thing no longer be offensive?

Bottle_of_Smoke

http://www.herald.ie/world-news/monkey-cartoon-sparks-obama-racism-protests-1645408.html

Civil rights leaders vowed to picket the New York Post's office after a cartoon that appeared to link President Barack Obama to a violent chimpanzee sparked outrage.

The newspaper cartoon by Sean Delonas shows a dead chimp and two police officers, one with a smoking gun. The caption reads: "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

The Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid's cartoon refers to Travis the chimp, who was shot dead by police in Connecticut on Monday after it mauled a friend of its owner.

More at link*

So a chimp dies, the papers make a joke out of the stimulus plan. Would have been the same if the president was white.

If civil rights groups continue to insist on being offended will people stop taking them seriously?

brianthebard

How does racism stop being racism just because there is one black president in the US? ridiculous.

Sleepy

Is that cartoon not taking the piss out of dumb racists rather than actually being racist itself?

Blazer

Hardly racist saying Polictians are monkeys..hell Biffo gets called a lot worse.
It's only for the fact that there's a black president that people are adding 2+2 and getting 5 and saying this is racist.

ChocolateSauce

In Victorian times Africans were commonly depicted as apes and sub-humans in cartoons, and this goes back to that. It's also been shot by a white cop. I can certainly see why this has caused such a storm.

The Corinthian

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

If civil rights groups continue to insist on being offended will people stop taking them seriously?

Civil rights, like NGO's, are big business. Getting offended keeps the money rolling in. Ever wonder what the heads of charities make by way of salary and bonus each year?

allabouteve

The Corinthian wrote: »

Civil rights, like NGO's, are big business. Getting offended keeps the money rolling in. Ever wonder what the heads of charities make by way of salary and bonus each year?

Or how much their offical lobbyists make to represent their offended members on Capitol Hill?

That said, I object to the cartoon, because its not particularly funny.

Michellenman

Racism is racism regardless of whether there is a black president or not.

mikemac

On February 17th, it was all over the press that a chimp attacked it's owners friend. And then was shot by police
Surely you've heard of it, if not it's on youtube

Now look at post 1, that picture was done on February 18th, the very next day

As I understood it, they just choose the topic of the day and worked in into their cartoon. Nothing to do with racism.

Bottle_of_Smoke

brianthebard wrote: »

How does racism stop being racism just because there is one black president in the US? ridiculous.

As I'm trying to point out, it's not racist, its attacking the part/president over his bill, not the colour of his skin.

Chocolatesauce wrote:

In Victorian times Africans were commonly depicted as apes and sub-humans in cartoons, and this goes back to that. It's also been shot by a white cop. I can certainly see why this has caused such a storm.

I accept that, but should it cause such a storm? its been a while since victorian times and surely if we're all equal this kind of thing should be looked at logically

The Corinthian

Michellenman wrote: »

Racism is racism regardless of whether there is a black president or not.

If it is racism. In 1999, an aide to the mayor of Washington, D.C. was forced to resign for a time for a while for using the word 'niggardly'. The word has absolutely no racist meaning whatsoever.

In this case, it appears to have been a monumental bit of bad luck. The cartoonist appeared to be referring to a recently escaped chimp, and the hackneyed portrayal of politicians as monkeys. Of course, if you ignore both of those, as with the actual definition and etymology of niggardly above, you will have a racist slur.

But don't let the facts get in the way of some good hysteria.

Zombrex

Is the cartoon trying to be racist?

I thought it was poking fun at the idea that Washington is getting any idiot to write the stimulus package (thousand monkeys, thousand type writers)

Obama wouldn't even have been writing the bill ...

Not seeing it to be honest.

Dades

I think it's fair to assume the New York Post knew that people were going to take this the 'wrong' way, so isn't it just goading a response?

Seems like a cheap tactic to make headlines - and not a witty amalgamation of two current news stories.

The Corinthian

Dades wrote: »

I think it's fair to assume the New York Post knew that people were going to take this the 'wrong' way, so isn't it just goading a response?

"Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence." - Napoleon Bonaparte

Bottle_of_Smoke

Dades wrote: »

I think it's fair to assume the New York Post knew that people were going to take this the 'wrong' way, so isn't it just goading a response?

Seems like a cheap tactic to make headlines - and not a witty amalgamation of two current news stories.

They probably had an idea alright, but I don't think that means it wasn't a witty amalgamation, as I said, if it were a white president they'd probably label it dark humour but there wouldnt be street protests

Phototoxin

In Victorian times Africans were commonly depicted as apes and sub-humans in cartoons, and this goes back to that. It's also been shot by a white cop. I can certainly see why this has caused such a storm

Victorian times ?

Old WB cartoons had 'racism' in them.. even Enid Blighton books... Gollywogs were totally racist!

Dave!

I don't see any other way to take but in a racist way Obama is the monkey, yes? Am I missing some alternative interpretation of this?

The Corinthian

Dave! wrote: »

Am I missing some alternative interpretation of this?

Read this thread for alternatives. It's a short thread so far, so it shouldn't take you long.

robinph

Dave! wrote: »

I don't see any other way to take but in a racist way Obama is the monkey, yes? Am I missing some alternative interpretation of this?

So is this racist as well then or have the rules changed now there's a new guy moved in?

http://www.bushorchimp.com/

tbh

ah come on, the chimp isn't supposed to represent Obama, it's supposed to represent the Government as a whole.

djpbarry

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Now that theres a black president...

When did Mary Mc black up?

Mingey

Because there was a huge issue made from the fact that Obama is black, everything he will do will come down to that fact. If he is criticised it it will be seen as racism, if he is commended it will be seen as a consequence from his struggle as a black man. Probably. Is there any more sense in highlighting the fact that he is black? Or will people get over it soon?

ChocolateSauce

I accept that, but should it cause such a storm? its been a while since victorian times and surely if we're all equal this kind of thing should be looked at logically

No, it shouldn't. If we're all equal, it wouldn't be anything to bat an eye at. I certainly wouldn't be offended if it was a white monkey being shot...but black people are not equal to white people. The vast majority of black people the world over are poorer and less educated than their average white counterpart. Africa is the poorest and dare I say blackest continent, and even within the rich nations black people are disproportionately less well off.

We can say they're equal, and we can truly want them to be equal and we should treat them like they're equal, but until they are actually equal to us in real terms, in terms of prosperity and in health and education, we shouldn't lampoon them.