Race and the Chimp

[Sugaree]

Last week, I'm sure all of you heard about the comic that showed an officer shooting a chimp and a little speech bubble shows another officer saying "I guess they'll have to find another person to write the next stimulus bill". Later in the week protests were being lead infront of the NY Post building. By the end of the week, the post apologized. What are your thoughts about this entire incident?

Also, here's a question that reflects on race: If you were black and you applied to a college that was prominently white and you were rejected, would you judge them by saying either of these? "Well, I didn't get in. I guess I'll have to find another place to apply to", or "They didn't accept me because I'm black."

I've found that most people find it easier to not blame themselves and just blame race. For years, I've heard about people of different races apply to jobs, colleges, etc.. and, if they're rejected, they just say that they weren't accepted because of their race. Why do people do this? Is it because it's easier to blame race than ourselves or is racism still a big issue in this country?

[Perseus]

Racism is still a big part of the country.
Look at my post in race about I heard on the radio because i am not retyping that.

[INFERNO]

Racism is still very prominent, and I do personally think it's easier to blame the race than yourself. After all, if you blame the race, then you're still fine, you're not the problem, they are. After all, racism is very common and it seems almost acceptable to say racist comments if you don't get what you want. After all, why purposely be the one to beat down your self-esteem and ego? That doesn't "feel" good, but doing it to others isn't that bad for you, as you aren't affected in the process.

It could also be due to how they were raised. If, for example, you are black and raised in a family and neighourhood that was racist against whites, your friends were also, then to you, racist comments to the whites is essentially the social norm.

It could also be due to observational learning; watching your friends or family be racist to the whites and they got what they wanted. You try it and you also get what you wanted, so why not keep doing it?

But to make matters simple, I think it's due to one's learning and how/where they were raised.

[CaptainObvious]

My thoughts are that the Post was right to apologize, and people were right to be pissed. I don't know if the strip writer meant to be racist towards Obama; I don't inhabit his head and can't really guess at these things. What I do know is that anyone with half a brain should've realized the obvious, potentially extremely racist reading of the strip and immediately killed it. I find it hard to believe that nobody at the Post - between the writer and all the various editors - had that thought, and therefore I am forced to assume that they realized it and decided "screw it, let's do it anyways."

I have a very big problem with that.

[Sugaree]

My thoughts are that the Post was right to apologize, and people were right to be pissed. I don't know if the strip writer meant to be racist towards Obama; I don't inhabit his head and can't really guess at these things. What I do know is that anyone with half a brain should've realized the obvious, potentially extremely racist reading of the strip and immediately killed it. I find it hard to believe that nobody at the Post - between the writer and all the various editors - had that thought, and therefore I am forced to assume that they realized it and decided "screw it, let's do it anyways."

I have a very big problem with that.

I think it was a bit racist. Before African-Americans had rights they would be called things like "Monkey" among other racist terms. The entire situation could have been avoided if the Post actually took the time to thing about it.

[ShatteredGlass]

I was out right infuriated about it! And it was completely unneccessary everyone knows, or should know, but especially i newspaper, that calling a black persons a chimp, ape/ monkey, is a racial slur and is one of the things the Klu Kluz Klan uses to recruit people. And i don't automatically jump to race, I can tell when someone is racist but i dont go into a situation expecting ever non-black person to be racist, but yeah i can tell when i'm being discriminated against. But i dont think you should your race to blame for your laziness, but i do feel that it happens discrimination and what not so yeah.

[Sugaree]

I was out right infuriated about it! And it was completely unneccessary everyone knows, or should know, but especially i newspaper, that calling a black persons a chimp, ape/ monkey, is a racial slur and is one of the things the Klu Kluz Klan uses to recruit people. And i don't automatically jump to race, I can tell when someone is racist but i dont go into a situation expecting ever non-black person to be racist, but yeah i can tell when i'm being discriminated against. But i dont think you should your race to blame for your laziness, but i do feel that it happens discrimination and what not so yeah.

I don't think the comic was meant to be racist. Not at all. I think what they were trying to do, was compare the government to a chimpanzee and the police shoot them. I think it is a bit over the top and they should have thought before publishing it. Don't get me started on the KKK. I watched a program about their history and it's not what you think. They don't hate just blacks, they hate Jews, Asians, Mexicans, and any other race than their own.

I think that blacks took this the wrong way. It seems today that any little thing is considered racist. That's just what I think.

[Camazotz]

My thoughts are that the Post was right to apologize, and people were right to be pissed. I don't know if the strip writer meant to be racist towards Obama; I don't inhabit his head and can't really guess at these things. What I do know is that anyone with half a brain should've realized the obvious, potentially extremely racist reading of the strip and immediately killed it. I find it hard to believe that nobody at the Post - between the writer and all the various editors - had that thought, and therefore I am forced to assume that they realized it and decided "screw it, let's do it anyways."

I have a very big problem with that.

I think it was a bit racist. Before African-Americans had rights they would be called things like "Monkey" among other racist terms. The entire situation could have been avoided if the Post actually took the time to thing about it.

We discussed this in Social Studies class, and we debated whether this cartoon was racist. I never knew that "Monkey" was a racial slur, and when someone told me it was, I was surprised. The comic was definitely racist. The point they were trying to make was that Obama was as crazy as a circus animal, and they probably realized it could be racist, but kept it anyway.

[Sugaree]

^^ I stick to my opinion that it wasn't directed towards Obama. People are just a bit uneasy to have a black president and how fast he's handling things. Sure, I'm a bit uneasy of how fast he's taking things, but you don't see me making comics about it. If people are uneasy with Obama, then that's their opinion. But it's nothing to fret over. Sure, it's not going to be an easy next 4 years, but it's something that we have to deal with.

[Antares]

Race, is why he was elected. You can't deny that.
Umm, it was a damn joke.
People need to calm down. People always said bushed look like a chimp, why can't obama.
As for the college, I would say no. Colleges are one of the only htings that are not...racist...if thats the word.
Everywhere else, racist.
Colleges really look for credentials...or whatever the word is.
Umm, it depends on the college though, but generally.

the fact of the matter is that PEOPLE ARE RACIST!
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF RACISM!
Im not saying that black people aren't racist but...people are racist. The problem comes when people use racism to their advantage. And in some situations its ok, but genearlly its not.