Several thoughts are conjured up when I observed the recent New York Post cartoon caption. My first thought was about the chimpanzee maiming the woman in New York. Upon closer inspection I realized that it was targeted toward President Obama and the stimulus package that he just signed. I was disturbed by the cartoon's content. I think that it is in poor taste and not deserving of any media attention, but then I realized that it was a first amendment issue. The Post has the right to write and/or draw what they believe will sell a newspaper. This is their right! However, the American public does not have to purchase the paper. By not purchasing this paper the cartoon becomes not important and not worthy of any media attention. The Rev. Al Sharpton is doing the right thing, but their disgust with this issue will only sell more papers and be on the 10 o'clock news for several days. The media is not driven by morals only that if it "bleeds it leads." Let's not pour fuel on this fire. This lunacy will pass...we can move on. There will be other racists depictions about President Obama, so channel your energy toward things that you are capable of changing. These individuals and/or organizations just do not get it.
17 comments:
i think it is necessary for people to react to the paper, if we don't it will start to become ok for them to say what they know is wrong. yes, it is their first amendment right,it also their and responsibility to respond or the next generation will think it's ok for people to put them down.
Oddly enough, I agree. The more energy we focus on this racially charged cartoon, the more the New York Post has won. This is not the first nor will it be the last racial incident regarding Pres. Obama. The most effective way of dealing with such nonsense would be to boycott the New York Post and those who have advertisements that appear in it. We have far more important issues at hand.
K.G. 3792
I haven't read the newspapers lately. But I did hear about some cartoons that Al Sharpton was talking about it. After I saw this article, now I understand what was going on. Franklyn, I am very disturbed and offended by The cartoon and the T-Shirt. It does not matter if it is freedom of press or 1st ammendment rights. It is offensive. We are in the 21 Century.Lets grow up.
Let me tell you this, only in America I have seen so much racism and such irrational dislike of others. When are we going to say enough is enough?
To me that is enough of this non sense. I agree with KG 3792 to boycott the New York Post and those who have advertisements that appear in it.
ES 1810
I think that people should react. When i first saw thison the newa i thought about racism of how blacks were consider monkeys. In the paper they used a dark animal to describe our president so i do think it was wrong of them to put this in the paper.A.P 9003
to professor BLR
M.J.U....9955
( P.S. I better get my points :-} )
by the way interesting articles .... see u in class C&D...
As a journalist and an editor and founder of my high school's newspaper, i believe that the editor was not ethical and was not thinking of the ethic codes as an editor. This is a distrubing picture especiall with the pic of curious george. In my opinion that's very disrespectful because curious george is a character that doesnt know much and he's called curious george for a reason. and to call president obama curious george is very disrespectful.
Well well curious george huh. I believe the white folks/republicans don't know what to do with themselves right now but ha ha suckers whether u like it or not we have a black president and they can TRY and discourage us,but let me tell u something the other day i was sitting at the park overlooking New York and for the first time in my life i saw an american flag and felt PROUD!! As i know some of us finally feel today so let them bring him down once, we will reinforce him by ten they are not stronger than us anymore and with time to fix all the crap Bush did Obama will prove us right...
S.S. 8161
I definately concur with the writer of this blog. The New York Post should have taken some precautions upon releasing this image to the public. However, I do think that the artist wasn't trying to portray a racist image. Al SHARPTON just gave an extra "spike to the punch". 0424 CO
I think that this very ignorant it show the posts inmmaturity level, and how uneducated that they are, the catoonist, the illistrator, and the writter, of the New York post is. This country should be more strict on their liniency with freedom of speech. Have more respect that's your President that you are referring to, a line has to be drawn somewwere and it starts here. Racism should be abolish to a certain degree,their should be capitol punishment for certain comments or actions that you take, it's called accepting responsiblity for your actions.
I actually agree with you on this the more attention we pay to these people the more the newspaper will sell. A.B 1291
Exactly they don get it!!because latino,black and others we are raising as minority in this country.me as a latina girl i see it as a normal it should not affect us those cartoons figures of the monkey getting killed,IT IS NOT WORTHY TO PAY MIND TO THAT KIND OF MEDIA..they just dont get it we here for the CHANGE!!! JY-4946
I think people seek reactions they really not prepared for. The writer of the article must of know the publicity the article would receive. I feel it was how he truly felt about our president and wanted to set how many agreed with his logic. DG7659
I think it should be expected that there will be hateful things all over the media about President Obama. Even though we did elect him I don't know if this country is ready to accept a black man in the President's seat. It would be easier to ignore it so that it doesn't get the attention that it wants but if we just ignore comments like that then they will always be there and instead of trying to reduce hatred we will be letting it go. It's a complicated topic.
SG 4591
After eight years of disgression ,we can not focus on disparaging comments .In fact , let us draw constructive criticysm in order to help Obama put the contry back on track.Oddly enough , the first amendment can not protect those types of comments in difficult times .Briefly , anything more than that will be considered "Clear and present danger "to the United States.
LJ 6631
The cartoon was just wrong.. The newspaper should have showed a little more respect, but they knew this was going to create a conflict, and there eyes turn to money signs... The newspaper knew what it was doing. Also, people shouldn't be offended, I remember when George Bush was president, people used to compare him with a monkey.. JTG-7666
I thought it was hilarious. It did happen the same week as the chimp attack on its owner and amidst stimulus package being created so the timing to link the 2 events was perfect. I took it as saying that the stimulus bill was so bad a monkey could have written it. Whether you agree with that or not, you gotta admit the a good joke is all about timing, and the timing on this one was perfect.
If you interpreted it the same way that I did then its just funny. If you interpreted it as being a depiction of the president as a monkey, then its really F--ked Up and funny. I'd bet anything that Rev. Sharpton, President Obama, Vice President Biden, and everybody of every color and title in between (including everyday people) have said or laughed at their share of "colorful" jokes. It was funny when you said it and its funny when the NY Post said it.
I'm Hispanic, so if you're looking for any jokes to tell about us around your dinner table, send me a message, I've got tons of them. (You'll need to know Spanish for some of them, It's easier to make fun of us in our own language.)
Everything in life is symbolic..
D.D.
prof BLR
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