A recently published cartoon by the New York Post -- that many believed
was linked to President Obama -- has upset a lot of people. The Rev. Al
Sharpton called it "troubling at best." And now, singer John Legend is
as well. Here's his open letter to the Editor:
Dear Editor:
I'm trying to understand what possible motivation you may have had for
publishing that vile cartoon depicting the shooting of the chimpanzee
that went crazy. I guess you thought it would be funny to suggest that
whomever was responsible for writing the Economic Recovery legislation
must have the intelligence and judgment of a deranged, violent
chimpanzee, and should be shot to protect the larger community. Really?
Did it occur to you that this suggestion would imply a connection
between President Barack Obama and the deranged chimpanzee? Did it occur
to you that our President has been receiving death threats since early
in his candidacy? Did it occur to you that blacks have historically been
compared to various apes as a way of racist insult and mockery? Did you
intend to invoke these painful themes when you printed the cartoon?
If that's not what you intended, then it was stupid and willfully
ignorant of you not to connect these easily connectable dots. If it is
what you intended, then you obviously wanted to be grossly provocative,
racist and offensive to the sensibilities of most reasonable Americans.
Either way, you should not have printed this cartoon, and the fact that
you did is truly reprehensible. I can't imagine what possible
justification you have for this. I've read your lame statement in
response to the outrage you provoked. Shame on you for dodging the real
issue and then using the letter as an opportunity to attack Rev.
Sharpton. This is not about Rev. Sharpton. It's about the cartoon being
blatantly racist and offensive. I believe in freedom of speech, and you
have every right to print what you want. But freedom of speech still
comes with responsibilities and consequences. You are responsible for
printing this cartoon, and I hope you experience some real consequences
for it. I'm personally boycotting your paper and won't do any interviews
with any of your reporters, and I encourage all of my colleagues in the
entertainment business to do so as well. I implore your advertisers to
seriously reconsider their business relationships with you as well.
You should print an apology in your paper acknowledging that this
cartoon was ignorant, offensive and racist and should not have been
printed. I'm well aware of our country's history of racism and violence,
but I truly believe we are better than this filth. As we attempt to rise
above our difficult past and look toward a better future, we don't need
the New York Post to resurrect the images of Jim Crow to deride the new
administration and put black folks in our place. Please feel free to
criticize and honestly evaluate our new President, but do so without the
incendiary images and rhetoric.
Sincerely,
John Legend
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