The New York Post published a cartoon showing two apparently "white" police shooting a monkey and saying in a balloon, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus Bill." The outcry has been vociferous and broad. The general understanding is that the reference is to President Obama. There are still elements in the "white" community who continue to repeat the old saw, "Blacks need to stop being so sensitive." They reference charges that Bush was pictured as an ignorant chimp. The Post issued a half-hearted apology.
During the campaign there were multiple examples of cartoonists and ordinary citizens making monkey references to then candidate Obama. There is a history of this racist equation of Blacks and monkeys. Someone who is a journalist or communicator and their editors (who filter the product) should understand the symbolism that is part of American history and recent usage. A denial of the references belies an awareness of the culture in which they claim license to operate.
Julian Bond of the NAACP says this is a call to assassination. In the current climate where
American school kids are coming to school talking about assassinating Pesident Obama, this can not be taken lightly.
We can not accept that there is no awareness of this crap in the white community.
The New York Post published a cartoon showing two apparently "white" police shooting a monkey and saying in a balloon, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus Bill." The outcry has been vociferous and broad. The general understanding is that the reference is to President Obama. There are still elements in the "white" community who continue to repeat the old saw, "Blacks need to stop being so sensitive." They reference charges that Bush was pictured as an ignorant chimp. The Post issued a half-hearted apology.
During the campaign there were multiple examples of cartoonists and ordinary citizens making monkey references to then candidate Obama. There is a history of this racist equation of Blacks and monkeys. Someone who is a journalist or communicator and their editors (who filter the product) should understand the symbolism that is part of American history and recent usage. A denial of the references belies an awareness of the culture in which they claim license to operate.
Julian Bond of the NAACP says this is a call to assassination. In the current climate where American school kids are coming to school talking about assassinating Pesident Obama, this can not be taken lightly. We can not accept that there is no awareness of this crap in the white community.
