Ok, let’s get the first part out of the way. Here’s the cartoon:
Ok, now that you’ve seen it, what’s your first reaction? Well, mine was twofold. My immediate reaction was that the cartoonist (Site is actually down at the time of this writing) was using the recent chimp attack combined with the typical “monkeys run the government” schtick. About a microsecond later, the “Oh shit” flag went up and I realized that it could be seen in a racist light by comparing Obama to a monkey.
I believe my first reaction is the correct interpretation, only because I can’t figure a way to fit the shooting into my second reaction. Still, I have to question what the editors at the New York Post were thinking. Well, ok, there’s the “official” word from the Post, but come on..
And, of course, Al Sharpton has to jump up and down and start screaming. But, as much as I don’t like the guy, I almost agree with the ruckus. His statement was as follows:
“The cartoon in today’s New York Post is troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys. One has to question whether the cartoonist is making a less than casual reference to this when in the cartoon they have police saying after shooting a chimpanzee that “Now they will have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill.”
“Being that the stimulus bill has been the first legislative victory of President Barack Obama (the first African American president) and has become synonymous with him it is not a reach to wonder are they inferring that a monkey wrote the last bill?”
To be honest, I think Sharpton actually spoke justly this time around. I hope he doesn’t try to make an issue out of it and lets it just die on its own, though. We shall see.
Regardless, this incident brings to light the fact that race issues are not, in fact, gone. Just because we have a black president now does not mean that racism has vanished. So do your part and try to get to know someone before judging them on their skin color, ethnicity, religion, etc. Seriously, there are some incredible people out there that are not at all like you.