NAACP Urges Firing Of NY Post Cartoonist

(AP)  The head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on Saturday urged readers to boycott the New York Post, calling a cartoon that the newspaper published an invitation to assassinate President Barack Obama.

Benjamin Todd Jealous, the civil rights group's president, called on the tabloid to remove editor-in-chief Col Allan, as well as longtime cartoonist Sean Delonas.

Earlier this week, the newspaper apologized to anyone who might have been offended by the image printed Wednesday, which some say likens the nation's first black president to a violent chimpanzee gunned down by police in Connecticut.

Jealous said the cartoon was "an invitation to assassination."

On Thursday, after protests by notable figures including director Spike Lee, the paper posted an editorial on its Web site saying the cartoon was meant to mock the federal economic stimulus bill, but "to those who were offended by the image, we apologize."

A spokeswoman for the newspaper referred The Associated Press to the paper's editorial when asked Saturday about the proposed NAACP boycott.

Critics said the cartoon recalled historical racial stereotypes of African-Americans depicted as monkeys.

Jealous called the editorial "a half of an apology, without elaboration."

The drawing, he said, "picks off the scabs of all the racial wounds."

He spoke as the NAACP gathered for its annual meeting in New York, where it was founded a century ago.

NAACP officials said that if the Post does not take "serious disciplinary action," they would reach out to organizations across the country to join them in their efforts against the tabloid.

NAACP Chairman Julian Bond called the publication of the cartoon "thoughtlessness taken to the extreme... Anyone who is not offended by it does not have any sensitivity."

[mikew31907]

Man I am sure glad that the President isn't a muslim we would have all of those crazies as well. Come on folks, we got serious problems in this country, real serious issues and beleive me when I say this isn't one of them. That is why it is called a cartoon!!! and not an editorial.

[edintex]

I thought the monkey in the cartoon DOES resemble him!

[tibu987]

The cartoon was gross, obscene, and not funny to this reader.

There is a fine line between humor and civility and this one crossed that line. It is like crass jokes that use vulgarity or sexual innuendoes in their attempt to be funny. Only works with juvenile minds.

[rrozsa-2009]

That`s nuthin`...we used to have to get up out of shoebox at twelve o`clock at night and lick road clean with our tongues. We had two bits of cold gravel, worked twenty-four hours a day at mill for a sixpence every four years, and when we got home our Dad would slice us in two with bread knife!

Posted by DaVicar4 at 12:04 PM : Feb 23, 2009

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And we were GRATEFUL for the opportunity!

[mjvw2]

how dare he state his opinion. first ammendment be dam*ned. fire him

[hambonehd]

Idiots..
Yea, and Sharpton needs to find a life.

[claytonantho]

that''s been my whole contention on this article.. The NCAAP demands the firing of this cartoonist..Is this really the media attention that Blacks want pertaining to racism?? Most haven''t probably even read about this article, now national media attention has brought it tot the forefront. Most educated people would have disregarded this as a tasteless cartoon and went on about their buisness, however the NCAAP has now made it a huge racial issue openeing back up wounds that were slowly healing..If you want racism to die, then quit bringing it up.


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Posted by rudedogrulz

OK Rude. I can meet you halfway on that. Take care.

[claytonantho]

Sorry guys, but I have to go. I enjoyed it. See Yah!!!

[claytonantho]

try to censor rap music and you''ll too be a racist..my point exactly and the list is endless..


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Posted by rudedogrulz

No. In my case I would be a Uncle Tom. I have told many blacks that you can't justify a rapper referring to women as b i t c h e s and ****** and then celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday the next day. The two don't go together and no rapper should delude himself by thinking that great African American leaders from the past would justify it either.

[claytonantho]

Texas 1996...The point I''m trying to make is not that blacks haven''t suffered some atrocities, but they now scream racism everytime they don''t get their way or about something they don''t agree..I could come up with a sizeable lists of things I don''t agree with, but who would listen? I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth right?


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Posted by rudedogrulz

No. I agree that many African American leaders have cried racism where there was none (Tawana Brawley and Duke lacrosse team) and looked pretty silly when the truth came out. But, please don't think that poverty pimps like Jackson and Sharpton represent all blacks. They don't, and they know they don't. And it does make it hard for the REAL racial incidents to be taken seriously. I could come up with a sizeable of moments that had no racial connections.