Was the chimp political cartoon racially motivated?

Question

Remember the recent story about a violent chimp who shread a woman almost to death, then the chimp later got stabbled by the pet owner, and eventually the police was called and shot the chimp to death?

Now, a controversial political cartoon about the cops shooting the chimp has surfaced. Was it racially motivated? Is the chimp being compared to Obama or any other black man?

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theworldnewser/2009/02/cartoon-controv.html

Answer 1

Mercer is correct. The intent was clearly not racist. He used the monkey in the shooting event as a metaphor for the bill's author as in "monkeys typing on keyboards" not as a racial epithet like Howard Cosell's "Look at that monkey run". But the latter interpretation is a bit too close for comfort, being that Obama is black and all.



Obama's a big boy--he can take the heat of some cartoonist saying his bill was written into gibberish. As for Al Sharpton, he should just thank the cartoonist thanking him for giving him an excuse to put his face in front of a camera and whine about racial bigotry for the millionth time.

Answer 2

Absolutely not, that's just silly and people are being overly sensitive. Honestly did anyone think about the race of president Bush when they made him into a monkey/chimp in other political cartoons; of course not. If race is going to be an issue when we have so much more to worry about, then people need to read a little more than just the cartoons. They likened Obama to a chimp for incompetence and rashness, not because of race. His shortcomings don't have to be defended by finding reasons within harmless political cartoons. It's time for people to relax and realize that he is going to be measured for his actions and speeches just like any other president.

Answer 3

You folks need to go back and repeat the 8th grade.



Here's a short lesson just to refresh your memories, in case you were too busy smoking cigarettes and not going to class.



We have three (3) branches of governement in the USA. The Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial. The President is in the Executive branch - he does not draft (write) legislation; that is the job of the Legislature (House of Respresentatives and Senate).



So, the monkey in the cartoon can not and does not refer to any President. Since it is a single monkey, it is also unlikely that it refers to any one person.



Haven't any of you heard of the Infinte Monkey Theorum? It's only been around for about 100 years. Again, in case you've been too busy watching reality TV shows and never bothered to pick-up a book, here it is on the Wikipedia site..



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_monkey_theorem



Lastly. Former President George W. Bush was often mocked by internet bloggers for 8 years as beeing a chimp. Many many sites refer to him that way. Just do a Yahoo or Google search for the words Bush and Chimp and see what you come up with.

Answer 4

The political cartoon is one of the oldest forms of satire within our society. The interpretation of them is where the problem lies. The stimulus package has been criticized as being hastily written so as to be passed in the critical first 100 days of Obama's presidency. I did not see it as alluding to Obama being a chimp at all. This society is becoming too concerned with political correctness and too many people get offended because they attach a totally ludicrous meaning to something. At some point someone needs to basically stand up and say this is all a load of crap. Then in the next breath they need to say they refuse to apologize for anything because they will not kowtow to political correctness in any form. How far removed are we from the Muslims who called for the death of the political cartoonist who drew Mohammed? Not far in my book.

Answer 5

As a black man I get really annoyed with the super sensitivity of some like the NAACP and even some of my friends. Who cares.



I understand that a black man as President of the United States is historical. But, he is still a President, the same as all the ones before him, and he will be criticized the same. Just because he is black doesn't exclude him from criticism, and anyone that does criticize shouldn't be automatically labeled a racist.



Free speech is an easy thing to understand. Just because someone decides to say or draw something stupid or off color, doesn't change the fact that he is legally exercising his constitutional right.

Answer 6

Simply put...no.



The idea was that the bill was so poorly drafted that even a primate could have done it. The President does not draft legislation..that is the job of the Legislative Branch of government (House of Reps and Senate).



Anyone that connects the chimp in the cartoon to our present President must be a racist themselves to make such a stretch.

Answer 7

of path Oprah's endorsement is racially inspired. it is a shame in this u . s . a . that somebody could recommend yet another guy or woman on pores and skin coloration or gender. the actual info at the instant are not appeared at via many, and various in simple terms flow alongside with this methodology somewhat of learning for themselves. Hillary is a sturdy lady? a solid lady would not stay with a guy who publicly disgraced her. a solid lady would not curse like Hillary. The fortress Grande actual assets rip-off, $one hundred,000 providence from livestock futures after $one thousand investment? Disrespect for the secret provider, and housekeepers? do no longer you have faith that particularly understanding someone's ideology and schedule is substantial whilst electing a guy or woman to the utmost workplace in the land? .

Answer 8

Not unless a black man wrote the stimulus bill. Obama certainly didn't, because it's not within the President's authority to write legislation. If I recall, Pelosi had a large hand in writing it. Go ahead and tell me that she's black.



Most people who follow politics at all understand that the President signs legislation; he does not write it.



And God forbid the New York Post assume that people reading the political cartoons in the daily paper are informed on such things as politics.



Again: He did NOT liken the chimp to Obama, as Obama did not (nor could he) write the stimulus bill. He only signed it. If you think that the President had time to write a 1,100 page bill in a week, while traveling the country, that's not the Post's fault, and ignorance is no excuse.

Answer 9

You mean the Thousands of Liberal Cartoons of Bush as a Chimp?

Answer 10

Al Sharpton sure blew a gasket over it...but then he would. The guys an idiot and that has nothing to do with his color.



I didn't see the cartoon that way at all. When I saw it, I thought of it this way. The chimp was a member of congress...because congress wrote the stimulus...even though they call it Obamas package.



Racial factors never entered my mind. I think black people have become far to sensative over stuff. We are not all a bunch of KKK members just because we are white.

Answer 11

I thought as soon as Obama was elected there would be no racism anymore. I take the cartoonist at his word that it is supposed to be about the chimp that attacked that poor woman the other day. It is not a very good cartoon either way.



*

Answer 12

well... who do most people think wrote the bill?



Obama



it says "guess they'll have to find someONE else to write the next bill"



who is the "someone" referring to... in a bill that's often referred to as Obama's bill by many?



now, motivation is hard to pin down exactly...



but... would it take a rocket scientist to put 2 and 2 together and think that many people would be offended by this? no...



either it's racist...



or the Post is retarded... and it's one of the stupidest "accidents" I've ever seen...



I could see either one...



EDIT: why do Republicans keep referring to it as "Obama's bill"? are they all "politically ignorant" by your standards for this cartoon?



is that your final answer Republicans?



I will accept it an agree with it... if that's what you really think...



IT'S THE POST... to assume ANYTHING about the intelligence of the readers of the Post, only shows you have NO CLUE what the Post actually is...

Answer 13

boy some people are just to darn PC it is a cartoon ,it is peoples own thoughts drawing up a conclusion to what it means.

People have racist thoughts and come up racist.



Some think it is just a silly monkey it is there thoughts.



ALL IN THE WAY YOU THINK.

Answer 14

Not racist at all.. and if it was it is allowed to be racist there is freedom of the press..



but anyways no it is not racist because as people above me said Obama didn't write the bill...



the reference is any monkey (animal) could have just spent trillions of dollars and not make any sense at all as to where it is going

Answer 15

Bush was called a chimp. I don't remember the out rage.



I also remember the cartoons of Condi Rice as Aunt Jemima. Where was the liberal out rage.

Answer 16

Pelosi wrote the stimulus bill so how could this cartoon be racial.

Answer 17

The cartoon was very tasteless. It basically called for the killing of a sitting US president. Let's face it though, there is a section of Republicans that are very bigoted and racists.

Answer 18

Just another supposedly not racist satire like the magazine "The New Yorker" cover. How refreshing Yet Stale dung!

Answer 19

i think they are referring to Pelosi.Obama didn't write it,or maybe they are speaking of the entire Democratic party that would be about right.

Answer 20

I wasn't aware that chimpanzees were of any race. I believe they are of a species.

Answer 21

Typical over reacting I think. But only the artist really knows

Answer 22

If Obama can't take the heat he should get out of the jung...I mean kitchen.

Answer 23

I don't think the cartoon was racially motivated. However, it failed to avoid a common racial stereotype and probably deserves to be criticized for being careless.

Answer 24

no its just saying that it was so dumb it lo kss like a monkey came up with it. its so dumb to think it was racist people are so touchy on issues like that. get a life.

Answer 25

No. Sometimes a monkey is just a monkey.

Answer 26

No, the complaints were racially motivated..

Answer 27

No, it'll be spun I'm sure by some hippy left-wing loon somewhere though.

Answer 28

I think the cartoon was hilarious. LOVED IT.

Answer 29

Maybe. If so, we need a lot more of it to start balancing things out a little.

.

Answer 30

Yes, without a doubt it is racially offensive and was aimed at our president.

Answer 31

Yes...it's just so blatant, it can't be denied.

Answer 32

That cartoon is disgusting. I can't believe the immaturity and ignorance that people have. They ought to be ashamed.

I just hope they all realize, karma is a biatch.

Answer 33

Yes typical of them people

Answer 34

Does a republican run away from war?

Answer 35

I already asked that, and no, it's not.

Answer 36

Of course. How else would they get readers?