Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Protesters Picket Post After Chimp Cartoon

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 19, 2009 4:32 PM CST

(Newser) – Hundreds of protesters led by the Rev. Al Sharpton assembled outside the New York Post’s headquarters today to condemn the paper's now-infamous chimpanzee cartoon, Newsday reports. Protesters called for a boycott and vowed to return tomorrow. They insist it's a racist slam against President Obama, while the paper calls it a "clear parody."

“Go to your newsstand and say, 'Do not sell it in our community,'” Sharpton told protesters.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

This cartoon image provided appeared in the Post's Page Six yesterday. (AP Photo)

New York State Sen. Eric Adams stands in front of the New York Post building holding a cartoon that ran in the Post Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

New York State Senator Eric Adams in front of the Post building. (AP Photo)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

The Post should at best clarify what point they were trying to make or in fact reprimand their cartoonist for making inferences that are offensive and divisive at a time the nation struggles to come together.
- Rev. Al Sharpton

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

AP Photo

35 Brutally Honest Reasons Men Say No to Sex (The Stir)

Man in Mugshot Explains Why He Has Half a Head (HuffPost)

Another Sign Rihanna and Chris Brown Might Get Back Together? (Celebuzz)

These Exes Were Spotted Making Out … and That's a Bad Thing (Bleacher Report)

Which Entertainer Pulled Out of 'Inappropriate' Whitney Tribute? (NewsOne)

Partner Links

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

Showing 3 of 15 comments

Guest

Feb 20, 2009 6:09 AM CST

what 100,000's did Bush Kill?

riffran

Feb 19, 2009 11:31 PM CST

wow!...well said....right down the middle.....

Guest

Feb 19, 2009 10:55 PM CST

There are 2 things going on here. 1. The parody of the stimulus bill and the chimp incident. 2. The long history of whites calling blacks, chimps, chimpanzees, and monkeys to infer that they are stupid and inferior. The people who are unaware of this history can't see the cartoon as racist because of this and because of the chimpanzee attack against backdrop of the stimulus bill. The people who are aware of the history see a picture of 2 white guys killing a chimp (2 whites killing a black), and at the same time they're aware that we have a black president. If I'm black, I'm pissed even if people say that that cartoon can only mean one thing. It can definitely be racist even if it wasn't meant to be. The cartoon is in the eye of the beholder. It is what we think it is. Don't tell me that it can only mean "one" thing. Can it be racist? Yes. We should have a pole. DO YOU LIKE BLACKS? The people who say no are racists. The people who say yes, not all, some, are not racists. DO YOU LIKE WHITES? The people who say no are racists. The people who say yes, not all, some, are not racists....That's like one group saying apple pie tastes great. Then the other group says, no, it tastes like sh#@...how could you say that!?...Is that cartoon racist for everyone? We're hearing it's not. Is that a non racist cartoon? Does anyone see the big picture yet? If I drew the cartoon and didn't imply racism, but then saw how so many people saw racism. I would say thatt was not my intention, but I do see how some can see it that way. Then I would apologize, because some people got hurt. Racism hurts to the core. It's being bad for not doing anything. Hate me for something I did. Don't hate me for something I have no control over. If you're going to hate someone, have balls and hate an action, not the whole race of people.

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Rick Santorum: Birth Control Is 'Not OK'

Valentine's Day Role-Playing Goes Very Wrong

Newsday (Source Grid »)

Post editor may defend it, but employees aren't happy
Huffington Post

You can look at more Sean Delonas cartoons here
New York Post

Al Sharpton • New York Post • protests • racism • cartoon • editorial cartoons • chimpanzees • economic stimulus package • President Obama • Col Allan

More Newser Stories

Obama-Chimp Emailer: Sorry, I'm Still Not Quitting

Marilyn Davenport issues formal apology, but won't step down

(NEWSER) - Marilyn Davenport, the California Republican official who stirred up a controversy when she sent out an email depicting President Obama as a chimpanzee , formally apologized last night, the AP reports. "I humbly apologize and ask for your forgiveness of my unwise behavior. I say unwise because at the time I received and forwarded the email, I didn't stop to think about the historic implications and other examples of how this could be offensive," she said in an emailed statement. More»

Ex-Editor Sues 'Racist' NY Post

Employee says boss called her 'Cha Cha #1'

(NEWSER) - A former associate editor of the New York Post says she was fired for complaining about the paper’s racist and sexist atmosphere. Sandra Guzman, who identified herself as the “only female editor of color at the Post,” is suing parent News Corp. Her suit claims she was among those who complained about an infamous cartoon in February that critics say likened President Obama to a chimpanzee. Guzman also says a senior executive made a habit of referring to her as “Cha Cha #1,” Reuters reports. More»

Obama Backlash Isn't About Race

The real, centuries-old conflict is between urban elites and small towners

(NEWSER) - It's a mistake to see the growing backlash against President Obama through the prism of race, David Brooks writes in the New York Times. The anti-Obama movement springs not from racism, but from the long American tradition of popular distrust of the urban elite, argues Brooks. He notes mostly white anti-government protesters happily mingled with people from an African-American event in the capital last weekend. More»

Misguided Cartoonist Has 'Right to Fail': Parker

Image was easily misread, but it's just a cartoon

(NEWSER) - The New York Post cartoon that has Al Sharpton up in arms was poorly thought out, to be sure, writes Kathleen Parker in the Washington Post. It "was offensive for reasons unrelated to race," she argues, but it’s important to remember that “outrage is out of proportion to the offense, and demands for retributive justice are more dangerous than a lousy cartoon.” More»

Murdoch Sorry for Cartoon

Says it was only intended to mock stimulus

(NEWSER) - Rupert Murdoch eats some crow today, with a short statement in the New York Post apologizing for the now-infamous chimpanzee cartoon. “I have spoken to a number of people and I now better understand the hurt this cartoon has caused,” Murdoch writes. “The only intent of that cartoon was to mock a badly written piece of legislation. It was not meant to be racist.” More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website