Social Psychology and the Cartoon Controversy
A lot of people checked out my blog post from last night about the New York Post and the now-infamous chimp cartoon. Scores of you also wrote comments, some agreeing with my assessment that the cartoon is clearly racist in nature and intent, and others saying it’s just as clearly NOT racist. Curiously, not one person commented on the central premise of my post: that we could well be seeing more instances of overt (as opposed to coded) racism as the reality of having our first president of African descent sinks in among people angrily opposed to Barack Obama, both the person and his policies.
Tonight, I’m going to go all academic on you. Here’s a different viewpoint from someone who has studied the exact topic the Post controversy has, shall we say, illuminated: the sensitivities to the centuries-old racist caricature of black people as apes or monkeys. I came across an article written by a social psychologist named Phillip Atiba Goff, an associate professor at UCLA. Dr. Goff’s research, according to his on-line academic profile, “.. focuses on the intersection of identity and social justice” and how it relates to policing and the criminal justice system.
My post last night concluded with me now doubting that the election of Barack Obama will launch a new post-racial era in America. Dr. Goff writes:
As to why they’re never harmless, and why the “it’s-just-a-cartoon-get-over-it” defense misses the point, he writes:
Read the entire article, if that piques your interest. It might give you some insight into the depth of the hurt and disgust African-Americans and others are feeling about that cartoon, and why this protest and boycott against the New York Post might have legs. (Spoiler alert: it’s not because Al Sharpton is inciting them to feel that way.)
Comments: 38
The fact of the matter is that Obama, our 1st black President has been talking about this bill everyday since before he was inaugurated. Blacks have been dehumanized, called monkeys by racists for more than 400 years. So even though congress wrote the bill, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to instinctively know that a cartoon like that is going to cause controversy. Either the people who were responsible for the cartoon getting published are too idiotic to recognized that, (As well as the people who don't see anything wrong with the cartoon), or they are insulting its readers intelligence by claiming that there's nothing wrong with the cartoon, and that they were just making fun of congress. (Most people thought Obama wrote it.)
ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PROTESTING ARE IGNORANT, AND SHOULD GET A JOB, MAJORITY OF THEM WERE BLACK, AND IF THEY WEREN'T RACIST THEMSELVES THEN THIS WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE.
THE ARTICLE WAS CLEARLY ABOUT THE MONKEY THAT ATTACKED A WOMAN AND WAS SHOT IN CONN.
MAYBE THEY SHOULD TAKE FIFTY CENTS AND BUY THE POST AND LOOK IN THE CLASSIFIEDS FOR JOBS!!!!
I THINK THE DAILY NEWS ALSO HAS A CLASSIFIED SECTION!!
Thank you for putting this controversy in an historical context. (Even a recent magazine cover featuring the basketball player LeBron James with the model Giselle Bundchen evoked racialist caricatures--King Kong and the willowy,pale, maiden beauty.)
That in 21st century America we are still seeing images like those the Nazis propagated in our newspapers is a clear signal that the well of subterranean racism still runs deep.
The NY Post is part of the problem, and has been for decades now. Rev. Al Sharpton is not the issue here, it's the failure of the establishment to show sensitivity to this particular ethnic group. The Post would never print a racist cartoon that targeted Jews. Why the double standard?
This cartoon issue is definitely not a case of some individuals wanting to be "politically correct" (for those who are of the opinion that this-is-just-a-cartoon-get-over-it). Offensive messages of this sort do have social consequences and deep impacts, especially for people of color. Lets also not forget that dehumanizing chimp-like images were used against the Japanese, the Filipinos, and others in previous periods -- while the US was at war with those countries! This made it easier to viciously engage war enemies and kill them without pangs of conscience about taking another human being's life. This is certainly a long-standing and dangerous tradition!! We -- all of us -- should not stand for this type of backward, racist, and immoral behavior. The minute we allow this sort of dehumanization to happen, we are all diminished as human beings.
Thank you for advancing some dialogue on this, Jim.
P.S. Chimpanzees are NOT monkeys. They are apes, as we are (and as are Gorillas). It is irritating to hear this mistake made over and over when monkeys are very different from apes, all apes. And as another side bar, in the article quoted by Jim, the author likens the Japanese use of a monkey that was thought to be representative of President Obama to this NY POST instance. I think care should be taken in lumping these types of incidents together, after all, the monkey featured in the Japanese ad is a revered animal that represents a revered image and has a distinct sociocultural meaning that should not necessarily be understood only through an American cultural lens.
Imagine if Planet of the Apes really happened, Michael Jackson would be working for his monkey "BUBBLES". Hahahahaha
Anyone who questions the existence of continuing racial bias and hatred in this country (or who wants to learn more) should check out http://www.splcenter.org, the website of the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama. They've been tracking, investigating, and exposing racism for decades and they combat it with positive work, education, and the law. Here's a link to an article specifically about racial extremists' response to Obama in the White House: http://www.splcenter.org/news/item.jsp?aid=361 . Once one's eyes have been opened to the depth and breadth of racism in this country, there's no way to interpret the cartoon as anything other than racist.
I am a public school teacher in New York City. I am very upset not only because of the obvious racial discrimination depicted by this cartoon but also because The New York Post sets a very low standard of grammar. Newspapers should be used as examples. In my school, we get the New York Post, paid for by your taxes, and it is useless in an English class because of the poor grammar and very low quality stories. This is not a newspaper. It is a tabloid. Actually, a racist tabloid. Our tax dollars pay for this "crap" in our school system. This newspaper is worthless.
The only thing I have to say is that Obama, our 1st black President was a step foward from the old America and now with this cartoon of the monkey the post as set America back two steps back. this only show that American has a long way to go to be united
Sam, a couple of racists in the post doesn't represent America. The cartoon was drawn by one person, and it was let published by at least another.
I thought this cartoon was about the disable(ment) of Obama to accomplish anything due to the complexity and stiff-neckedness of large government?
A whole political movement crushed? That's my take on the cartoon.
Sam, a couple of racists at the post does not represent America. One person drew a racist cartoon, and at least one other person let the racist cartoon be published.
Double post. The 1st originally did not show up, so I re wrote it again. Sorry.
Page 11 shows picuture of Obama signing the stimulus bill.
Page 12 shows the cartoon of chimpanzee being shot.
Coincidence?
Advertisers and readers should leave the NY Post,
for showing completely disregard for the life of Charla Nash. With her life in critical condition, the Post thought this was something to joke about.
Sam Hunter,
The owner Rupert Murdoch and editor Col Allan,
are Australians not Americans.
I don't believe and American editor would have published a cartoon suggesting that our democratically elected officials should shot over the bill.
How many times in the eight years that Bush was President did they compare him to a monkey? Simply Google "Bush monkey face" and you will see dozens of pictures either comparing him or morphing his face onto a chimp's body. No one seemed to be upset by that. No blogs or editorials were published saying how disrespectful it was to treat a President that way. In our country, if there is going to be satire, no one should be excluded. People have learned to be offended by the slightest thing and they shout before they think. Yes, you can always find racism if you look hard enough for it. But this cartoon was referring to the chimp incident this week as well as a bad stimulus bill. How many times have you heard that given enough time a chimp on a typewriter could write Shakespeare? Are Shakespeare supporters ready to picket?
too-thin-skinned-
Here's a site for everyone to take a look at:
http://www.bushorchimp.com
too-thin-skinned-
Here's a site for everyone to take a look at:
http://www.bushorchimp.com
too-thin-skinned-
Here's a site for everyone to take a look at:
http://www.bushorchimp.com
too-thin-skinned-
Here's a site for everyone to take a look at:
http://www.bushorchimp.com
Jim,
I think that cartoon you are referring to is just terrible. (comparing Afro-Americans and monkeys).
The Reverand Al Sharpton sticks his nose in everyone's business, so I'm sure he is insulted to the max.
If this is all people think about, we are in trouble. I saw a program last night, and there were McCain rallys *from before the election. McCain actually defended Obama. The southerers did NOT want a black president. Some people were actually crying. They said they would move out of this country if a black man was elected.
President Obama is a man, like no other. He is our leader, and he is a gentle, brilliant person.
I don't feel like reading all the stories about this subject, however, I must say this GET OVER IT, we have a new president already!
This post racism is just a ploy for newspapers to print more garbage, or to insult someone who is trying hard to save this country from the mess we are in.
I think people should have more faith in President Obama. *I am sick and tired of hearing about his "race".
In days of old, the Italians couldn't marry out of their region. It was like this. A northern Italian could not marry a southern Italian. Now, doesn't that sound ridiculous?
Many Italians in small towns never saw a black person. I'm not sure how they were portrayed in Italy, but I do know that there were plenty of gypsys around. I had never seen one, until I went to Europe.
You can compare apples and oranges and never the twain shall meet, but that doesn't mean they can't be eaten together in a fruit salad.
Why can't they stop this news garbage. I think that the media will create a real nightmarish scenario if they don't.
Let's face facts, if President Obama screws up, there will never be another Afro-American man elected for a long long time, if ever.
I'm sure he has a tough skin and will weather the storm of the media circus.
Lee *I wish the newspapers, TV, etc. would have more respect for our leaders, especially when times are hard and people are in need.
We all know that saying, "The Pen is mightier than the Sword".
So look, here is the scenario. I am a tourist and I see that, there are people protesting up and down in front of the Post Building.....with METAL barricades surrounding the protesters. Tell me, what do you think my impression is, of what I am seeing.????????
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY!!!!!
No matter what, history will repeat itself. It is inevitable. These are just petty things right now, then it will escalate. For it is human nature. I feel that America will remain segregated.
Yes, the pen is mightier than the sword. I think a tourist might think that we have a problem with "freedom of speech" with what they might see at the "Post Building".
Lee *a complicated issue is at hand here
Are zoos being racist when they display apes in cages -- because blacks and sensitive whites might take that to be an example of black slavery?
Is "Curious George" racist? "Bedtime for Bongo"? "George in the Jungle?"
Is "Planet of the Apes" suggesting blacks are evil?
Perhaps we should eliminate all apes from culture -- and wipe them off the face of the earth. That way, they can never be used -- purposefully or inadvertently -- as racist code for blacks.
I agree with srb. Everytime any monkey is used in something, all the black people come out shouting racism. The only solution to this problem.
Oh for cry'n out loud, you've got to be kidding. Some of you people are more than eggs short of a dozen. If you really can't stand the monkey cartoon, how do you put up with Al Sharpton? I'll tell you how; you're a racist hypocrite too. Also, if you can't understand the fact that this was a slam on Pelosi and her minions, you need to go back grade school and try to actually 'pass' English this time. You whining academia types, there's just no excuse for you. You should no better and you should pull your heads out of your arses and get a load of the social damage and racial incitement that YOU are propagating. Al is a moron and so are you if you swallow his tripe.
Unbelievable. GWB can be directly likened to a chimp, a klansmen, or Hitler and no one blinks. Once Obama gets into office and someone parodies the stimulus bill and the chimp getting shot in the same cartoon then lynchings simply MUST be around the corner... *sigh!*
Maybe the problem is that racism is on the wane and race-baiters need more to legitimize themselves with? During the Presidential campaign, who brought up race and who didn't? (hint: the first mention from either campaign was Obama's "and did I mention he's black" diatribe). So instead of having overt racism, let's create covert racism and attack it. That's much easier than pointing out the colossal failures thus far of an administration that was supposed to be about "cleaning out Washington" but has instead been more about re-hiring Clinton cronies, tax cheats, and seeing how much future tax monies it can poorly spend in four years.
Don't get me wrong, there is still racism out there. The cartoon though, isn't it.
OK.. settle down boys and girls...
Let's put this into some context. If that cartoon had been published with a chimp/ape WITHOUT the context of the unfortunate killing of that pet chimp/ape a few days prior to the cartoon, I would be the first to say that the "racist" argument holds water, because there would NOT have been any other context to draw from.
HOWEVER, I read the inference of the cartoon as equalizing the intelligence of those writing the stimulous bill as equal to the chimp/ape that ran amok, disfiguring the friend of that pet's owner. That chimp/ape refers to Pelosi, Dowd, Reid, Obama, Dodd, Schumer, and all the other "crafters" of that pork laden bill. When I saw it I did not see it as chimp = Obama.
If you WANT to see racism in things where it doesn't exist, then there's nothing we can do about that... protest all you want, it won't make you right.
You don't understand RedinaBlueState, I am Black and white people...Knowledge they lack.
Hmmmm.....a newspaper describes shooting of a chimp that attacked a human.
Juxtapose society as the human - a capitalist human society
Now juxtapose the "stimulus" as a rampaging chimp...
Do you get it yet? Do I need to explain even further for you?
Race-baiters seek to be relevant in a time when a Black man is President...this is all just a cry for attention..
Joe, the teacher.
If "crap" is the best word you could muster to express your thoughts on this matter,then you are not in a position to critise the paper for low standards.
What's the old joke? It goes something like "if you put a thousand monkeys in a room with typewriters, they eventually will come up with the complete works of Shakespeare". The stimulus was written by just so many monkeys. Obama didn't write it, he just signed it.
OK Maybe I'm a bit naive but has anyone heard of evolution the theory where we all evolved from monkey's/Apes or has anyone ever heard the term congress is run by a bunch of monkey's how about I'll be a monkeys uncle.... I think it's like this if you are offended by what someone say then we must assume you know what the speaker or writer in case was thinking...wow have we all become psychics now. there are far more important things going on in this country than a cartoon and I think we need to prioritize and stop worry about who hurt who's feelings. this country is in trouble and guess what it's a fiscal issue not a racial issue.
I first saw this cartoon the day it was published because someone sitting next to me on the train had the paper open to that page. I was stunned when I read it and knew immediately that there would be repercussions.
I found it overtly racist because of the caption and because there was absolutely nothing analagous between the two events. In fact, the cartoon itself makes no sense, really. I think the cartoonist was trying to make some kind of racist statement, but found nothing analagous to use, so he put together a picture and caption that are unrelated and which translated into something altogether awkward, at best.
The fault lies with a cartoonist who should, at this point, have put himself out of business, and an editor who should have known better than to publish it, if not because of it's overt racism, then because it simply makes no sense.
Apart from this, I have not yet seen any other overt or covert signs of racism in the media, though I suppose there are some amongst the extent racist communities living in this country. There are still groups among us that perpetuate the deep racial stereotypes that we hoped had lessened over time, and they, no doubt, will have their own take on the President and his race (notwithstanding, of course, that his mother was white). These, however, are fringe groups. I doubt whether any mainstream media will descend to that level.
As is the case with any President whom we elect, his legacy is his own. George W. Bush may have been portrayed as a monkey or an ape, but that was because his legacy is one of complete ineptitude (though monkeys and apes, themselves, are not normally considered inept). Mr. Obama's legacy will emerge as his presidency unfolds and then we will see how he should or should not be depicted.
The world is really full of hypocrisy and double standard.
Yeah, they get angry and protest about the cartoon which they think NYpost is targeting Obama, and implies people to kill him.
First of all, it is just a freaking cartoon, no one is implying anyone to kill. this accusation is WAY out of line.
Second, this question keeps running in my mind without an answer: Where are the angry and the protests when Bush were mocked and bashed over and over again? Where were the respect when he was our president???
So now Obama is like a saint that he is not allowed to be touched?
"...the cartoon is clearly racist in nature and intent,..." So asserts Mr. Watkins. But Jim, the certainty of your findings in interpreting the mind of another human being - this cartoonist - is presumptuous in nature and dismissive of debate in practice. What I see in last Wednesday's Page Six is a case of thoughtless stupidity combined with a lack of talent. (Which should suffice to get that clown fired anyway!) But then you convey a belief that anyone who goes that far but won't join in YOUR quantum leap of reading racism in Delonas' mind just does not "get it". PERIOD, END OF SENTENCE! Well, exc-u-u-u-u-u-se me, Dr. Watkins.
You seem to differ from Keith Olbermann in two stylistic though not insignificant respects. 1)You're probably a much nicer guy, and 2)you allow opposing views via this forum while he bans them on his show. But these disparities are too often overshadowed by a common thread of intransigence seen in so many of the TV news liberals. You are even rejecting Al Sharpton's FIRST opinion - "The cartoon in today's NY Post is troubling at best...." That was Al's take before Eric Adams, Charles Barron, Spike Lee & Co. probably took him aside and reminded him of the race-baiter's gold mine he would let slip through his fingers if he didn't turn up the heat. That's when "troubling" suddenly ceased to be a viable option and Sharpton returned to the familiar form we all know and "love".
So Jim, please scroll back up and read "Anonymous" of Feb. 23, 3:48 PM and give that poster due credit. I would probably omit the last sentence, which rejects the racist interpretation as unquestioningly as you embrace it. But throughout the posting, he/she simply nailed it. We are still awaiting your reaction to Obama's construct of a racial "straw man" for use in a speech last summer, and to the "Bush/Hitler" and "Bush/chimp" comparisons. Your silence on the latter really goes back years, not just a week.
Thanks again, Jim, for your opinions, and for yielding the floor with this blog.
Mike
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GET OVER IT.SINCE WHEN WAS OBAMA IN CONGRESS,THAT'S WHERE THE BILL CAME FROM,READ THE CARTOON.IF ANYTHING HE WAS CALLING PELOSI NUT JOB A MONKEY,AND WHO CAN DISAGREE WITH THAT.START WORKING AND STOP GETTING WORKED UP.