Sharpton blasts Post cartoon linking stimulus bill to apes
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/02/18/art.sharptonpt0218.gi.jpg caption="Al Sharpton took issue Wednesday with a cartoon published in the New York Post. "]
NEW YORK (CNN) - A New York Post cartoon Wednesday drew fire from civil rights activist Al Sharpton, who says the image invokes a history of racism to suggest an ape wrote President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package.
The cartoonist, Sean Delonas, called Sharpton's umbrage "ridiculous," and the newspaper defended its decision to run it.
The comic showed two police officers standing over the body of a chimpanzee they just shot - a reference to the recent mauling of a Connecticut woman by a pet chimp, which was killed by police after the attack. In the cartoon, one of the officers tells the other, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."
"The cartoon in today's New York Post is troubling at best, given the racist attacks throughout history that have made African-Americans synonymous with monkeys," Sharpton said in a statement condemning the cartoon.
The stimulus bill was the top priority for Obama, the first African-American U.S. leader, who signed it Tuesday. Sharpton questioned whether Delonas - who has brutally lampooned him in the past - "is making a less-than-casual inference to this form of racism."
"The Post should at least clarify what point they were trying to make in this cartoon, and reprimand their cartoonist for making inferences that are offensive and divisive at a time the nation struggles to come together to stabilize the economy if, in fact, this was yet another racially charged cartoon," he said.
But in a brief phone interview with CNN, Delonas called the controversy "absolutely friggin' ridiculous."
"Do you really think I'm saying Obama should be shot? I didn't see that in the cartoon," Delonas told CNN.
"It's about the economic stimulus bill," he added. "If you're going to make that about anybody, it would be [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi, which it's not."
And Col Allan, the Post's editor-in-chief, said the cartoon "is a clear parody of a current news event."
"It broadly mocks Washington's efforts to revive the economy. Again, Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist," Allan said in a written statement.
Updated 2:30 p.m.
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of all the things going wrong in the world today, THIS is what he complains about? Get over it already. Not everything is a negative comment about blacks.
I believe CCN and the cartoonist are bigots. The cartoonist should do a makeover with the picture of the biggest pig if he and CNN believes there are no racial undertones to the cartoon.
Shame on all of you that defend continue racial undertones with whatever point you are trying to make with some things originated/done by a black person.
The "Chimp Story" has absolutely nothing to do with the stimulus bill. Its obvious that the Cartoonist used the story as an opportunity to draw an inference to Obama and money or apes as racist have often done in the past. This was clearly an unsuccessful attempt to cloak his racist views behind "humor". I've noticed that lately "humor" is the being used as the new means to convey racist views.
Why not choose a pig to represent the pork in the stimulous, instead of a monkey?
Our President has gone from being a Muslim, to an Arab, a terroist, a magic Negro and now a monkey. Thanks Sean Hannity Delonas for putting Country First!
Okay Celeste.....Tell 'em girl....
Maybe everyone stops being so sensitive.
I thought the New York Post was a pretty liberal paper.
I thought the New York Post always supports Obama.
Maybe everyone should stop reading the New York Post.
Maybe Sharpton can get the paper shut down.
Everyone kinows when there is a policeman shooting anything that resembles an african american or a monkey is a racism statement.
Therefore, the artist and the Post can say whatever but we know exactly what it means. I am so sick of the racist people of every walk of life.
Sometimes I feel this is the saddest country to live in.
Since It's not about race...Perhaps it would be more appropriate to have a drug over-dosed PIG strung hung over his microphone – with the caption "I failed this time Mr. President"
Get over yourself Sharpton. Seriously.
Not cool, Post. Not cool.
"Think" before you print.
Mr. Sharpton is right comparing apes to Rep. Pelosi is an insult to apes everywhere!!!
@Matthew – lol, your skin is khaki...That was cute.
And they say race doesn't matter. If you believe this you are a dog I will throw a shoe at you .
I saw the cartoon and it is sick. There is no defending it. The line was crossed unnecessarily.
A New York Post cartoon Wednesday drew fire from civil rights activist Al Sharpton, who says the image invokes a history of racism to suggest an ape wrote President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package. ++++++++ No Al – A group of people (Dems) with the combined intelligence of an ape wrote the stimulus plan!
I guess we were due for some Al Sharpton bickering and whining since he pretty much kept quiet during the Obama campaigning. I guess he didn't want to draw the ire of white America and hurt Obama's chances.......
ONE WORD
NOTHING BU RACIST.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MURDOCH?
Obama didn't even write the stimulus bill! It was written by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid! Al Sharpton is an IDIOT!!
Boycott the Post!!!! Then see how funny it is when they start loosing money.
Why would NY Post print anything so ignorant? UNREAL! It never cease to amaze me about journalism and what we read in the paper. Given the sensitvity of the way African Americans were treated horribly in this country and were considered as nothing more than apes and were called apes, beaten by cops in the south and hung from trees like animals.
To: The New York post, this is insulting to a race of people who have been treated totally unfairly in this country. New York just showed they are racist and bigots. I will never buy your paper again.
Although we are entitled to freedom of speech, the use of the monkey with two police offices standing over the dead monkey is an outright insult. We are currently in an economic crisis brought on by the prior President Bush and the Republican Party that did nothing for the economy but ensured the rich became richer.
President Obama did not write the stimulus bill, he signed it. As Eric Holder so elogently stated "America a nationof cowards on race". So, when the media or Republicans have a chance to make a racial remark they do so.
As one writer state "you want hear anything from Michael Steele, the new RNC Chairman. He's already stated the stimulas package will not work. Maybe not for you Mr. Steele, but there are thousand of people losing their jobs daily and it's more than what the Republicans have to offer. As a matter of fact, the Republicans who did not vote for the stimulas package, I suggest you refuse the money for your state.
Mr. Sharpton and the like need to quit the cry baby antics! Our country our generation is past all the racist junk. It is a comic-get over it. He would have found issue if it had been a gold fish! Mr. Sharton, please grow up and shut up!
"I'm a leftie – but I disagree with Sharpton totally. I didn't see any racism here. The chimp story was the most "searched" internet story yesterday. I disagree with the premise of the cartoon. I support the stimulus plan, and I trust Obama & his economic advisors to come up with a good plan. I'm glad Democrats finally can drive this bus, I'm sick of Republican ideas."
JPM, Your being a leftie doesn't explain your bigottery. In this case Sharpton is standing up to those of you who pretend you are not racist while harboring racism.
yall hate it but sharpton is right.
Sharpton is a cartoon. his interest is sharpton for oponitunist sharpton and he is irelevent to anything sensable black or white.
If a stumble bum across the street sitting in his or her own puke makes a remark any rational person would dismiss it. If a person in a suit or dress makes the same remark he or she is a shadow of the stumble bumb. Dismiss shch folk and get on with important matters. Free speech allowes (and it should) crack pots to speak nonsence. How about this, the KKK has a parade on 125 St., yes that should be allowed. Everyone from neighboor hoods around NY show up, when they march down the street everyone turnes their back and says nothing. How about that as a way to show them and the world that what they stand for is valueless. For certin the police take pictures of all the marchers weather the ACLU un wiped liberals like it or not. Their are good laws to insuer that folks can speak but not act stupid.