OlderJohn Legend’s Open Letter To NY Post
The New York Post has apologized for a Sean Delonas cartoon that supposedly compared President Barack Obama to a chimpanzee.
The drawing showed two policemen over the body of a chimpanzee they’ve just shot as one officer says, “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.”
Neo-soul John Legend had written an open letter to the NY Post about it:
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?
(Click inside to continue reading John Legend’s letter…)
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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153 Comments
OH PLEASE SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!! ALL THE NASTY THINGS YOU CELEBRITIES SAID ABOUT BUISH AND NOW YOUR CRYING OVER THIS? GROW UP!!! STOP PLAYING THE RACE CARD WHEN IT SUITS YOU. I AM SO SICK OF YOU CELEBRITIES! WHY DONT YOU WRITE A LETTER ABOUT THAT PIECE OF **** STIM-U-LESS BILL? WHY NO ONE COULD READ IT FIRST?
Debbie:
I hate to tell you that while Africans used their enemies as slaves as did the Greeks and Romans(these people could earn their freedom and even wed their “owners”. However they have said, if they knew what horrors they had created by dealing with European Slavers, they would not. Because the Slavers took it to a different level. They used African Slaves because when thye tried to enslave Caribs, Native Americans etc…they ran away. Where could an African run in America?
Also, Black people are over slavery but what they’re not over is ignorant people such as yourself. so learn some ******* history before you embarrass yourself any further.
Black People have given the monkey comparison through the years too much power by taking it serious The same way they gave the N word power because they let it get to them.
jm - your comment rocks!
RIGHT ON GROUNDCONTROL
Debbie, you ignorant dolt. Yes Africans sold and enslaved other Africans. However, you neglect to point out that only Americans enslaved people in perpetuity and expressly noted in the Constitution that they were to be considered only partially human, with no personal or property rights. You are a sad, lost soul. I hope you “get over” being the pathetic person you are.
John legend (Stephens is his real name) has no business sticking his nose into the NY Post affairs . unless he was there in the room when the caroonist had the concept and said, “I got a idea let me draw a monkey to imitate Barack Obama..
Unfortunately this string proves how racism is alive and festering. That the NY Post doesn’t acknowledge it’s poor taste shows that racism is festering within their organization as well.
Yeal old Al Sharpton wants to stick his nose in to the mix, but where was he when the Duke lacrosse team was accused, tried and convicted of a gang rape charge by a black stripper a few years ago. Did he ever say he was sorry …no..
Unfortunately, the cartoon seems like a veiled threat of assassination . Really bad taste.
lets see… they ran michael richards out of down for saying, omg the dreaded “N” word… Don Imus lost his job MSNBC.. for a Disparging comment… now they want the cartoonist fired, just because YOU percieve the cartoon as racist .. get a life…please
For those of you who don’t see the danger in this cartoon. Please realize that the violence towards our president depicted in this cartoon is what is most disturbing. And will not be tolerated by us Americans.
you must stand in absoulte awe of the hypocrisy of the black community and liberals in general,where where all the protest and crying when condeleza rice was abused constently with cartoons and smears,this is a joke.
bullsh&%. there was so much hatred for bush and all kinds of threats against him - where was mr. john legend’s letter then. pulease. cry me a river.
every night on bet comedy view thier is a least one black comic who makes jokes about white people and every one in the audience just laughs their a** off, now could a white comedian made black jokes at an all white audience.. oh nooo… talk about a double standard.. only in america…
you know what i don’t know what is the big deal on this? I’m an Obama supporter and why do you have to connect the monkey with Obama just let it go for god’s sake, its just a cartoon, what happens to the freedom of speech so from now on we are all going to be on egg shells how we talk to the president? Cmon and it is you who all make this an racial issue when you are comparing monkey with Obama if we were a racist nation Obama would have not been elected as the president just think about that, instead of concentrating on the economy, some people go over the edge about this just let it go……
jol - I stand in absolute awe that you can’t spell “were”, “constantly”, that you don’t capitalize the name of a person you obviously admire and that you can’t use proper punctuation. How is it that conservatives can’t use the English language properly and this liberal who went to (gasp!) public school manages just fine?
Good on YOU! John Legend. I am proud of him for speaking out. people and advertisers should boycott the Post. They have yet to issue a genuine apology and that cartoonist is beyond vile. He is sick.
I personally consider that in the realm of a threat. It is not free speech.
I am so sick of blacks and all the other grievance minatory groups with the white losers who enable then make every comment about Obama or a private picture with a 15 year star like Miley fooling around with friends into a racist action, they and their fake outrage are to the point of absurdity, Bush and Clinton before him got called every name under the sun, but Obama has to be treated with kid gloves or else your a racist, and even when his named is not mentioned and you have to stretch the interpretation of a cartoon to even link it to Obama , you still have the fake outrage crowd out in force. What’s a really sad commentary about the Political correctness of these people is every group is off limits except White Christians. These minority groups who peddle in being outraged so they can line their own pockets as intimidation tactics are going to push to far and you will have anti immigrant and xenophobe political parties steadily growing in America as they have Europe.
Great letter John Legend! that was well written and very profund with the history reference and his inttelcet is amazing shame on u New York post
There’s been a ton of political cartoons just like this that don’t seem to be getting any intention (not that they should anyway). John Legend seems like he’s just trying to “get back at the paper” cause he was personally offended and he just happens to be “known”.
“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.”
Given that the cartoon does seem violent, will John Legend write a letter for every political cartoon that pokes fun at politics? Or is this just because he made the assumption that it was directly tied into “african americans being compared to monkeys” (a horrible statement) I do believe there are racist people out there that do in fact think in that ignorant way, but at least have the confidence in knowing that regardless of these petty cartoons we can expect a better future of great diversity.
First of all, Penn does not automatically equal intelligence. Oh, I know, Ivy League and all that. Please…read up on the admissions games played at the highly selectives. There’s a little game known as “URM”….underrepresented minority. The URM game is played like this: if you are a certain minority you get a break on admissions requirements; but if you are an different kind of minority (Asian) you get the opposite of a break (even perfect SATs won’t get you in an Ivy).
Secondly…the NYP did not bring racism into ‘the discussion’ by publishing this cartoon. Once again, the only party bringing up racism is the party that claims they wish it would go away. Well if that is true…then let. it. go. away. Quit bitterly clinging to a victim mentality. Those who can’t let it go are only smacking themselves in the face while the rest of us look on in confusion.
What an idiot. Anyone that sees that cartoon as racist is racist himself/herself. Get a little intelligence and learn to understand context. And get over yourself, John Legend. You’re not that important.
I do give kudos to John for being outspoken but there’s been a ton of political cartoons just like this that don’t seem to be getting any intention (not that they should anyway). John Legend seems like he’s just trying to “get back at the paper” cause he was personally offended and he just happens to be “known”.
“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.”
Given that the cartoon does seem violent, will John Legend write a letter for every political cartoon that pokes fun at politics? Or is this just because he made the assumption that it was directly tied into “african americans being compared to monkeys” (a horrible statement) I do believe there are racist people out there that do in fact think in that ignorant way, but at least have the confidence in knowing that regardless of these petty cartoons we can expect a better future of great diversity.
Apology my ass. The Post isn’t a bit sorry for printing that despicable cartoon. They’d do it again in a New York minute. They’re just sorry they’re getting their asses kicked.
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