Malcolm X Post 5: Racism Right in Front of Us

A couple of days ago in our English Class, we discussed a newspaper comic that showed a monkey being shot of two white police officers. On top of the cartoon, was a derogatory comment regarding our new, black president, Barrack Obama and his position on the economic crisis. Because of racial slurs that have called African Americans "monkeys" before our president was elected, many have taken this terrible cartoon to heart. 

Being a natural blonde, I understand how much stereotypes and rude comments hurt. Blondes are often called "dumb blondes". The idea that just because our hair color is different means we can not live up to the intelligence of a brunette or redhead is disrespectful and inaccurate. I'm sure people don't realize it but after figures such as Dolly Parton and Marilyn Monroe, blondes are also thought of as sex-symbols, nothing more. To be thought of as a woman with no other importance but to stand there and look pretty is unjust to those of us who defy these so called "typical blondes". Although I do not receive as much discrimination as someone with black skin, I can partially understand the frustration and anger that goes through their heads when a racial comment or stereotype is directed towards him.

The newspaper that published it, The New York Post, says that the cartoon did not relate to our president, but a comedic event that took place a few days before. They claimed it to be about a woman from Connecticut who had raised a chimpanzee but had a dangerous encounter with him that did not end well. What bothers me is the fact that they are doing so poorly a job at hiding the true meaning of the cartoon. Obviously, we can tell that the cartoon was not just about the chimp incident because of the caption on the top. There is not doubt that the caption, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next Stimulus Bill," is about our current economic crisis. How could that possibly relate to a chimpanzee attack? At what about the actual picture? Two white police officers shooting at a monkey, which was also cruel slang referring to a Black man? It just doesn't make sense to me that they could get away with something as horrible as this.

My guess is that they had been wanting to get their word out for sometime and when this incident left a door open for them, they walked right into it. This chimpanzee problem, that made world news, gave the publishers and cartoonists a way to get their point across and not allowing them to get punished for it. This was the perfect opportunity for them to make a fool of our president in a way that would not harm them.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/19/chimp.cartoon.react/

As CNN is reporting, this cartoon has earned a 9 on a scale of 1-10 for being dangerous. Considering the Stimulus Bill was Barack Obama's first victory as president, the cartoon can only be seen as poking fun at Obama.