"We don't need The New York Post to resurrect images of Jim Crow to deride the new administration and put black folks in our place."
By now, I hope you've seen the cartoon that The New York Post ran last Wednesday. Not because I think it's humorous. Comparing the author of the federal stimulus bill to a crazed chimpanzee shot by police after attacking a woman in Connecticut is flat out ignorant. Our country's history of racism and violence is too painful to continue this nonsense.
How did this get past an editor? One might think it's funny to compare a deranged monkey to the author of the stimulus plan. But for me, this cartoon invokes more painful themes in American history.
John Legend asks some thought provoking questions in his letter to the editor of The New York Post:
"Did it occur to you that this suggestion would imply a connection between President Barack Obama and the deranged chimpanzee? Did it occur to you that our president has been receiving death threats since early in his candidacy? Did it occur to you that blacks have historically been compared to various apes as a way of racist insult and mockery?"
My feelings exactly! Racism is expressed in discourse, pictures, actions, indifference and denial. Look at this cartoon and discuss the judgment of the editors at The New York Post. In my opinion this cartoon should not be taken lightly.
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