New York Times City Room weighs in on New York Post Cartoon

[SunsetDreams]

Chimp-Stimulus Cartoon Raises Racism Concerns


Updated, 9:49 p.m. | Gov. David A. Paterson, Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, the Rev. Al Sharpton and others expressed concern on Wednesday morning over an editorial cartoon in The New York Post that showed a police officer telling his colleague who just shot a chimpanzee, “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.”

Critics said the cartoon, drawn by Sean Delonas, implicitly compared President Obama with the primate and evoked a history of racist imagery of blacks. The chimpanzee was an apparent reference to the 200-pound pet chimpanzee that was shot dead by a police officer in Stamford, Conn., on Monday evening, after it mauled a friend of his owner.

Speaking at a conference of the New York Academy of Medicine on Wednesday morning, Mr. Paterson said that while he had not seen the cartoon, he believed that The Post should explain it. Given the possibility that some people could conclude the cartoon had a racial subtext, Mr. Paterson said the newspaper needed to clarify its meaning.

“It would be very important for The New York Post to explain what the cartoon was intended to portray,” Mr. Paterson said in response to a question about whether the cartoon’s depiction of a monkey was racist, as Mr. Sharpton has suggested. “Obviously those types of associations have been made. They do feed a kind of negative and stereotypical way that people think. But I think if it’s enough that people are raising this issue, I hope they would clarify.”

Senator Gillibrand, Democrat of New York, said in a statement: “I found the Post cartoon offensive and purposefully hurtful. This type of cartoon serves no productive role in the public discourse.”

More here:
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/chimp-stimulus-cartoon-raises-racism-concerns/

I have a feeling they will regret not only posting this in their paper, but also their lame excuse for doing it!

[The Wielding Truth]

1. Rupert Murdoch's shadows are apparent again. He is not a healthy

influencing part of our Democracy.

[AyanEva]

2. I'm glad to see the shit hitting the fan. :)

[SunsetDreams]

3. me too, as well it should!

[Bake]

4. Paterson hadn't seen the cartoon ...

In 5..4..3..2..

Bake

[SunsetDreams]

5. Don't you know it ;)

...1

[SunsetDreams]

8. literally lol

[Dreamer Tatum]

10. That was, um, sort of funny

hee hee hee hee

[DFW]

6. Patterson didn't see it like Stevie Wonder didn't see Bush wave

like DUH!! LOL!!

[SharonRB]

11. Now you've done it.

I really didn't want to go there.

[DFW]

12. It was only a matter of time. I figured, get it over with.

[SharonRB]

13. Better you than me

My mind did go there, though, immediately.

[DFW]

14. I'm in the German Rheinland. Let 'em come get me if they want.

[nc4bo]

7. Patterson's comments

“It would be very important for The New York Post to explain what the cartoon was intended to portray,” Mr. Paterson said in response to a question about whether the cartoon’s depiction of a monkey was racist, as Mr. Sharpton has suggested. “Obviously those types of associations have been made. They do feed a kind of negative and stereotypical way that people think. But I think if it’s enough that people are raising this issue, I hope they would clarify.”

How lame can he get?

"A kind of"? How about THEY ABSOLUTELY DO.

Mighty lame statement from Gov. Patterson.

[SunsetDreams]

9. I read it differently.

They do feed (One) kind of negative and stereotypical way that people think.

I don't find his statement lame.

[Danger Mouse]

17. He wasn't saying 'kind of' he was saying 'a kind of' in other words 'a variety.'

[Cha]

15. Glad THE New Yorkers are

getting behind calling this shit what it is. The more I think about the violent, racist, vile political strip the more offensive it is.

[SunsetDreams]

16. me too

They need to understand that in this day and age, there are plenty of people out there who just won't put up with it.

[Number23]

18. "Many Post staff members were dismayed by the cartoon, the employee added."

That should say something to those who keep insisting the cartoon was just an innocent jibe at the stimulus plan, but I have a feeling that it won't...