The litmus test for this cartoon posted in the N.Y. Post on February 18, 2009 being racist is this: As a stand alone document what are the connotations of this picture? Historically, primates have been used to depict and degrade Black people. However, a spokesman for the news organization says that this is a parody of the chimp that was shot by police a couple days prior to the cartoon being published. The problem with this statement is that if no one knew about the shooting of the chimp days before they would not understand the "joke." Therefore, as a stand alone document this cartoon appears racist to many Whites and Blacks. Since the President of the United States is an African-American and did not write the Stimulus Bill it points to a different message than what the cartoonist is asserting. African-American leaders like Al Sharpton are appalled by this apparent setback for our nation and is leading the growing support to boycott of the N.Y. Post and other legal action.
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