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Protest Rocks Rupert Murdoch's NY Post for Racist Cartoon

Posted by Liliana Segura, AlterNet at 10:43 AM on February 19, 2009.


Exclusive pictures from today's protest outside the New York Post -- including shots of Rev. Al Sharpton and Amy Goodman.

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At noon today, at New York City's Rockefeller Center, a rally was held in front of the offices of the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post, to protest the racist editorial cartoon that ran in its pages on Wednesday. The cartoon depicted two police officers shooting an ape, with one remarking, 'They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.'

The cartoon, which referred to a Connecticut police force's killing of a chimpanzee that had attacked a woman earlier this week, has been denounced and debated for its blatantly racist and violent imagery. Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network organized the rally, which was attended by hundreds of activists, union members, reporters, and commuters who came during their lunch hour, many of them shouting 'Shut Down the Post!'

[Editor's Note: Liliana Segura, AlterNet's Rights & Liberties editor was on the scene and sent in these exclusive pictures.]

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Tagged as: racism, protest, obama, racist, ny post, cartoon

Liliana Segura is a staff writer and editor of AlterNet's Rights and Liberties and War on Iraq Special Coverage.


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Prosecute for threats of Assassination - Lunatics thrive in the Repug party
Posted by: Purple Girl on Feb 19, 2009 11:25 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Racist yes. If actually depicting Pelosi, Sexit yes. But either way, both are suggesting the same thing, assassination. A Crime.
Although not a fan of Nan, this is still an outrage. It suggests that Law enforcement take actions to kill those who developed the Stimulus plan.
What is typical for small minded Repugs, is the fact that it is not the authors of the Stim Bill (nor the chimpanzees) that created the situation. Who is responsible for this unfortunate event, who was responsible for it getting our of control, who was responsible for the Care of the 'beast' to begin with. What mismanagement, recklessness or malice released this on to the street?
Aren't the Repugs just as guilty of Reckless endangerment as the person who let this chimp escape? Isn't Deregulation just like letting a dangerous animal off it's leash?
Oh the parallels are endless, aren't they. too bad the NYP has such Low brow 'artistic' hacks, editors and Owner, can only go for the most base of irrelevant humor.I think a 3rd grader could have come up with something more clever and poignant with the This. About as complex as Paulsons 2 1/2 page Crayon Written Ransom note, reason Repugs can figure out the Stim Bill- too long, too complicated and not in vibrant colors to capture their short attention spans.
But Beyond the references of just how stupid Repugs are...This 'cartoon' presents a Real threat to Pres Obama and Speaker Pelosi. The Repugs have some very twisted people in their party- Bombers, snipers and assassins thrive in their midst- they don't need the NYP to incite them any further- or glorify such acts of violence. Anything happens to either the NYP and Murdock should be facing co conspiracy charges.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» Send Murdock packing. Posted by: weathered
Your boys at the post are uncreative at best...
Posted by: ABetterFuture on Feb 19, 2009 11:31 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...damn plagiarists at worst.

Quite the chic thing it turns out, to ape the president in political cartoons.

The difference betwixt the two is audience size, one supposes.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» All satire is dishonest... Posted by: ABetterFuture
» The depiction of violence Posted by: Grandma Crabby
I wish I were in NYC today...
Posted by: Quannah on Feb 19, 2009 11:34 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
so I could join in this protest!

Look at the photos. The people who have gathered come from all backgrounds. They are all races. They know ignorance and racism when they see it and they are disgusted by it.

I hope this kind of action can produce REAL results. The first step would be to FIRE the cartoonist. Then the editor.

People have the power to change things. Thanks, Al Sharpton, for being the great activist and leader you are!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» "I'm just a white guy..." Posted by: nha16
» Race is easy? Posted by: rickiey
» RE: ace is easy? Posted by: peacefullaim1
» RE: "I'm just a white guy..." Posted by: Longdream
» RE: I know racism when I see it too, Posted by: peacefullaim1
» Freedom of speech Posted by: 2thepoint
41 Shots
Posted by: stormydaniels on Feb 19, 2009 11:48 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Too bad Springsteen wasn't there. NYC, where Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell, and the dream of the Post-- President Obama are to be shot by the cops.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

I see that identity politics is alive and well in the Obama era,
Posted by: LeftWright on Feb 19, 2009 12:18 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
and the NY Post plays that card intentionally to create a controversy and distract the masses.

Don't take the bait, people, just stop buying the Post (and all the other msm propaganda) and keep your eye on the ball, lest it hit you in the head.

More bread and circuses, eh Alternet?

The truth shall set us free. Love is the only way forward.

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» Already boycotting MSM Posted by: feduphoosier
This comment has been removed from the site due to non-compliance with AlterNet's community policies.
Joohn2007
Posted by: john2007 on Feb 19, 2009 2:02 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
How long before this kind of overt racism starts showing up in the Wall Street Journal? If Rupert Baby wants to show America that he's not a racist he'll need to shit-can the cartoonist and half of the staff at this creepy rag of a paper

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We've been calling George Bush a Chimp for a decade now
Posted by: rickiey on Feb 19, 2009 2:33 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
But calling Obama one is racist?

Oh, I see. There are seperate rules for how we treat seperate races, then?

I thought we wanted rid of that whole concept...

Just to be clear, let me ask this to determine if this was a racist cartoon:

Was a chimp used because at one point in history they were said to emulate black people?

No? It had nothing to do with black people, it was there because it was a recent news story? So what, exactly, makes it racist? Because Al Sharpton said so? C'mon! Is there anything that any Caucasian has done that Al Sharpton DIDNT claim was a racist act? If he read this, he would probably call this post racist, and he would be WRONG.

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» You're ignoring a lot... Posted by: bruceslog
» You misunderstand Posted by: rickiey
» RE: "Maybe he is a racist" ... Posted by: peacefullaim1
» RE: "Maybe he is a racist" ... Posted by: peacefullaim1
LET THE POST KNOW YOU DON'T APPROVE OF THIS CARTOON!
Posted by: Quannah on Feb 19, 2009 5:19 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Please send a message here!

Thanks!

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» Okay, done. Posted by: GuitarBill
» RE: Okay, done. Posted by: Quannah
What a surprise........
Posted by: 2thepoint on Feb 19, 2009 6:10 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Al Sharpton is involved- now he has come up with another cause to get his name back in the media. Anyone remember Tawana Brawley.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Go tie it in a knot. Posted by: Longdream
» RE: What a surprise........ Posted by: Quannah
» RE: What a surprise........ Posted by: rickiey
» RE: What a surprise........ Posted by: Quannah
» RE: What a surprise........ Posted by: rickiey
» RE: What a surprise........ Posted by: blitzmesser
» RE: What a surprise........ Posted by: blitzmesser
When did the country become creationists?
Posted by: HJamesDee on Feb 19, 2009 7:23 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
According to Darwin we were all apes at one time. How is this racial? Unless intelligent design is proven
the element of this cartoon to be concerned about is not racial. It is morally corrupt in many ways. It has a sociopathic element to it. A brazen execution style shooting, of an unarmed suspect. Why were these two police officers so quick to shoot a monkey that was smart enough to write economic public policy bills? Now this is questionable behavior certainly. One has to wonder. Their reaction though is more telling "THEY'LL HAVE TO FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO WRITE THE STIMULUS BILL" This is stated in all capitals. Voiced like an
action movie villain. This was clearly an order to shoot to kill.
The message was ominous: If we don't like your policy we are going to kill you. These were law enforcement officers. Is this how we are supposed to feel about authority?

It is dangerous to play any race cards. Identity politics is slippery. Would not the best way to remove racism be to not project it onto this president for constant scrutiny. His election is a symbol a new era of racial harmony. Obama race should be the least of our concerns. It is incidental, historic yes but incidental. Yes he is part African. He is also part white American. Acting to cast him as a victim of racism, is that the tone we want? The potential for backfire is to great. Obama has to steer clear of this trap. Obama is not weak. I don't think anyone thinks he is unintelligent. His most striking accomplishment has been to project a knowing presence on to the American people. No one thinks of him as a monkey, remember he was attacked for being to elitist at one time.
The real message here is we are not interested in your version of politics and we will do anything to hinder your agenda. Steer clear of progressive changes. New ideas can be exterminated.
Clearly these people think that Obama is liberal enough to hire a monkey. The people who should be offended are the aides who wrote the stimulus bill. After all does anyone really think that Obama authored the bill? No. His staff did. One of whom the post thinks was a monkey. What does that say about the cartoonists evolution as a human?

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I am deeply offended
Posted by: deepseas on Feb 20, 2009 5:38 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
As an African American, I am deeply offended by the cartoon. I understand that some will not see this the way I do, but you would have to walk in the shoes of blacks from slavery through to the racism of today to understand the sinister meaning of this cartoon. Or, you would have to have sensitivity or experience with this subject.

This cartoon is trying to associate the chimp gone wild attacking a woman the other day with the author of the stimulus package. We all know who "owns" responsibility for the package...Obama. Therefore, the association is that Obama is the chimp with the bad stimulus package and needs to be killed. Murdoch's people have tried to spin the meaning of the cartoon and have failed miserably.

After the Civil War (and before), many cartoons were circulated widely in newspapers and publications depicting blacks as monkeys, insinuating they are lazy, uncivilized, incapable of intelligence, beasts, animal like and literally good for nothing. To the further humiliation and degradation of blacks, white America could buy artwork, statues and all sorts of goodies showing cartoonish blacks in these types of subservient roles to remind them of their position in society. This particular image is unmistakably a black man depicted as a chimp. Notice the eyebrows.

"The animal association and blacks has had devastating real life consequences. In hundreds of news stories from 1979 to 1999 the Philadelphia Inquirer was much more likely to describe African Americans than Whites convicted of capital crimes with ape-relevant language, such as "barbaric," "beast," "brute," "savage" and "wild." And jurors in criminal cases were far more likely to judge blacks more harshly than whites, and regard them and their crimes as savage, bestial, and heinous, and slap them with tougher sentences than whites."

"In fact, exactly a year ago, Penn State researchers conducted six separate studies and found that many Americans still link blacks with apes and monkeys. Many of them were young, and had absolutely no knowledge of the vicious stereotyping of blacks of years past."

Something besides the vicious, racist implications is something no one dares discuss: that this image could incite some nutjob out there to be a hero and try to murder Obama. For this reason I want more than an apology. I want to see laws in place that stop racist attacks like this from the media and prosecute these publishers, editors and writers with severe penalties and punishments. These tactics are the same ones used from 1600 at the inception of slavery and have not ended to this day.

"The Post cartoon, Mr. Murdoch, was the complete package. It depicted violence, death, brutality, incitement, and animal like imagery. The topper was the not so subtle inference that the target of the chimp depiction and more was an African-American male, namely President Obama."

The republicans are so desperate to oust Obama from office and discredit the democrats that they will pull out all stops to achieve their agenda. They have already ruined this country. Now they are trying to get Americans to fight one another as a distraction from their criminality. But this time, we will not allow them to use African Americans to achieve their goal. They will have to find another target for their vicious methods of politics.

Mr. Murdoch Is Obama Really a Chimp?

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» Connect the dots Posted by: deepseas
» RE: I am deeply offended Posted by: blitzmesser
» RE: I am deeply offended Posted by: peacefullaim1
» RE: I am deeply offended Posted by: peacefullaim1
This was no mistake or misinterpretation
Posted by: deepseas on Feb 20, 2009 5:41 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
One of the things they teach graphic designers and illustrators is when trying to convey an important message through an image effectively, ensure the image compliments the text, if you are to use text.

If the cartoon was without text, majority of Americans would know it's about the Connecticut woman who was mauled by the Ape, due to the current events. If the cartoon included a different text like "He tried to maul Naomi Watts" and the King Kong movie was released today and the tragic incident of the Connecticut woman happened simultaneously than all of us would understand that it's about the King Kong movie and the Connecticut woman.

The Cartoonist knew what he was doing. The fact that he added stimulus to the text, it grabbed the audience to think of the President.

The cartoonist used 3 current events: Connecticut woman mauled by the ape, Obama signing the stimulus bill, & the continuation of fear there might be an Obama assassination.

And then the cartoonist complimented the 3 current events with 2 subliminal images: black men as apes and black men being killed by cops.

On top of that the NY Post editors positioned the cartoon after the page where there's an image of Obama signing the stimulus package.

They knew exactly what they were doing. They succeeded.

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» Thanks for the correction Posted by: deepseas
The Murderous CARTOON is SCARE PROPAGANDA
Posted by: nobyjingo on Feb 20, 2009 8:32 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If anyone had depicted in a cartoon anything that could have been assumed in any way as shooting Bush, then that person would have been grabbed up, put in jail and imprisoned forever; a journalist was put in jail and beat just for throwing his shoes, this cartoon is worse than throwing your shoes. This disgracefully blatant cartoon infers death to the President of the United States in a not subtle way by the New York Police Department.

The United States NOW has a REAL president and it has been years since the United States had a real president, but now that the United States has a real president who cares about ALL the country, the RIGHT-WING CONSERVATIVE EXTREMISTS can't stand Obama being in charge, instead of them and are doing what they can to try and end it subtly, as with the Kennedys.

RIGHT-WING CONSERVATIVE, Rupert Murdoch, who also lives in China, is one of the CONSERVATIVES main leaders, with no patriotism to the United States nor honor for our country's president. The conservative right-wing EXTREME want Obama to fail, just like they wanted FDR to fail; but FDR didn't fail and neither will Obama.

No working person should be a CONSERVATIVE and support this RIGHT-WING EXTREME. On RIGHT-WING EXTREME television, CONSERVATIVE is now being stated with "fiscal" in front of it as if putting "fiscal" in front of conservative will change what a conservative is. The only thing fiscal could mean in front of conservative is that the conservative is going to work exceedingly hard at keeping all the country's wealth for only the RIGHT-WING of big corporate business, big corporate industry and elite capitalists. Fiscal conservative is an oxymoron when taken in context of the whole country politically, because conservatives ONLY compel the nation's money to the RIGHT away from good jobs, college degrees, proper housing and proper transportation and roads for the common population, the political liberal, while fiscal means to do what is responsible for the nation as a whole. Conservatives care nothing about responsibility to the country as a whole. Conservative is NEVER used any other way other than politically in government, therefore all conservatives represent big business, big corporate business, big industry and elite capitalists. Conservatives only say they represent small business, as small business along with the working population have to be represented by the Liberal LEFT, to balance the equation, and Obama represents the Liberal LEFT, the people.

Conservative EXTREMIST Rupert Murdoch and his ilk want to stop Obama from rescuing the country from the conservatism he and his ilk perpetrated upon it. I am sure if this inciteful propaganda is not cut off now that there will be more inciteful nonsubtle murderous racial propaganda cartoons to antagonize someone foolish in the population against Obama to kill him.

Propagandists that incite racial acts are just as responsible as those that perform racial acts; should the death of Obama result from their inciteful endeavors, the NY Post's owners, managers and cartoonists should be held responsible by our government in exactly the same way as if they had pulled the trigger.

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The depiction of violence
Posted by: Grandma Crabby on Feb 20, 2009 8:47 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
is even worse than comparing Obama to a chimp if you ask me. Not that comparing him to a chimp is good in any way...But when they compared Bush to a chimp there was no violence depicted.

The violence in that cartoon is extreme. Two bullet hoses and a huge pool of splattered blood? Good grief, they could have gotten the point across without being that graphic. Most cartoon drawings are minimalist. This one certainly isn't.

And, as another alternet poster pointed out the other day, look at the "beware of dog" sign on the pole in the background. That certainly isn't an accident. The history of attacking blacks with dogs was OBVIOUSLY on the mind of the cartoonist. Otherwise, why bother to include the pole and this sign? Again, cartoon drawings are minimalist. Everything in a cartoon drawing is there for a REASON.

Plus, if they had changed the copy just a wee bit, they could have made it clear that they were calling the BILL a chimp and not it's AUTHOR. (Presumably but not really Obama) If the "we're not being racist" pleas of the cartoonist were genuine, he would have had the copy saying, "Good riddance to that destructive bill" or something like that.

This cartoon is so over the top it is disgusting. I am glad they are protesting.

Granny's crazy videos Go get a chuckle!

Luv,
Granny

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dysnomy
Posted by: tatamchwh on Feb 20, 2009 9:58 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
All of Rupert Murdoch's propaganda organizations spout the same drivel. A friend of mine who grew up in Communist Albania says that Murdoch's enterprises use the same formulas as television and newspapers use in Communist countries -- they spread ridicule and bias under the name of news and legitimate opinion. Rupert Murdoch has crossed the line so many times that there must be some way that he and his minions can be prosecuted for incitement to riot and other violence, including assassination.

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» RE: dysnomy Posted by: peacefullaim1
syed salamah ali mahdi
Posted by: salamah on Feb 20, 2009 1:26 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This cartoon is not about Race! It's not about the Stimulus Plan. It's not about the actual chimpanzee who was shot by cops, for real! It's something more ingenious and more frightening. It's all about the same scum of America who have cheated, robbed, killed, destroyed, enriched and empowered themselves within America and overseas, those who are now feeling threatened by what Obama had promised to do in case he was elected and is actually fulfilling the same. This cartoon is their threat being delivered to Obama through the New York Post, owned Rupert Murdoch and you know who Murdoch is. The threwat reads, "Behave or you will killed by cops!"

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» RE: syed salamah ali mahdi Posted by: WingedGryphon
But WE've been using chimpanzees to...
Posted by: liberalEd on Feb 20, 2009 3:35 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I agree that the post cartoon was reprehensible. Anything that can be interpreted as suggesting political assassination is, at best, criminal carelessness, due to the nuts out there who may be easily incited to violence. And to make political use of an incident where a woman was badly mauled (I have no details, but I'm thinking face bitten off and fingers pulled off) was truly tasteless. And there is a long history of equating apes with blacks, despite the fact that apes resemble caucasians more than blacks. But I'm no mind reader, and I think something is being overlooked here. For eight years now, many anti-Bush folks have been likening Bush to a chimp. This was patently unfair. Bush doesn't resemble a chimpanzee any more than is normal for a white male. It seems at least possible that this cartoonist was stewing on this the whole time, and felt that turn-around was fair play. Even if this was a racist cartoon by intent, the Bush/chimp muddied the waters and provided a possible alibi. So those of you who love the childish insults, "repugnicrats" and such, please straighten up! I'd like us to occupy the moral high-ground when these things happen.

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grokagain
Posted by: grokagain on Feb 20, 2009 3:45 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If you listen to Rush, you know he's been kicked into high gear after the comment by Eric Holder. I'm afraid there's beginning to be a real push to start a race fight. I have a hell of a lot more confidence in Obama than Bush but government is still government. They would love a reason to have martial law.

and Glenn Beck is putting the idea in peoples heads about civil war. He is going on and on about how he fears it will break out because citizens are tired of the government corruption.... but what I think he's doing is putting the idea in our collective heads... just a little impetus to get the insane faction of the right wing going.

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» RE: grokagain Posted by: Quannah
» If you listen to Rush, Posted by: rickiey