The Beeb is reporting that a cartoon by Sean Delonas in the New York Post is causing a storm of protest in the US, with many accusations of racism being levelled at it. The cartoon mixes up two news stories from this week, President Obama’s economic stimulus package and the shooting of a chimp which went violent and attacked people, depicting a shot chimp with the comment “they’ll have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill.” The Post is defending the cartoon as a piece of satire mashing up two news stories saying it “is a clear parody of a current news event, to wit the shooting of a violent chimp in Connecticut. It broadly mocks Washington’s efforts to revive the economy.” I suppose the question of racism depends on whether you think the chimp is a dig at Obama – which is being denied while protestors claim it clearly is – but even if it isn’t I have to wonder that the cartoonist didn’t think about it before drawing this since it seems the sort of conclusion many would draw. And, leaving allegations aside, its not very funny to begin with…
February 20th, 2009 at 10:06 am
The problem these days is everyone’s desire to find something offensive. Sometimes, a monkey is just a monkey.
February 21st, 2009 at 11:53 am
Even if it is offensive and surely for someone it will be the right to publish it should be ensured or else we all get into this trap of being “politically correct” (and kill all attemps of criticism).